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 Kshien", in the spring of 1973.
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 ( senbatsu koto gakko yakyu taikai) of Japan, commonly known as "Spring Koshien" ( haru no koshien) or "Senbatsu" (), is an annual high school baseball tournament. 
