Claim: Suguru Egawa, who was nicknamed "The Monster", set a still-standing record of 60 strikeouts in National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament, an annual high school baseball tournament commonly known as "Spring Kōshien", in the spring of 1973.
Evidence: He was nicknamed "The Monster", a nickname that Matsuzaka later received as well. In the spring of 1973, he set a still-standing record of 60 strikeouts in National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament. The National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament (選抜高等学校野球大会 senbatsu kōtō gakkō yakyū taikai) of Japan, commonly known as "Spring Kōshien" (春の甲子園 haru no kōshien) or "Senbatsu" (センバツ), is an annual high school baseball tournament.