Tsuneo Horiuchi

One of the Yomiuri Giants top pitchers throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, Horiuchi became better known for his mouth and flamboyance than for his arm. Winning 12 consecutive games as an 18-year-old rookie, he proclaimed himself a superstar, refused to bow respectfully to elder players, argued with management, goofed off in exhibition games, spat while on television, and shamefully let his cap fall off during his follow-through. He went on to taunt rivals and discuss their shortcomings with uncommon candor throughout his career. He pitched his way back into the good graces of Japanese fans in a disastrous 1971 postseason series against the Baltimore Orioles as one Japanese pitcher with whom the Orioles had trouble.