Tetsuharu Kawakami (1920-2013), was professional first baseman in the Nippon Baseball League. In 1950 he was introduced to Zen Buddhism, and he took a shine to it. In the following 1951 season he had 374 at bats and struck out only six times.
"He said his powers of concentration had developed to such a point where the ball would ‘stop’ for him as it came across the plate.”
Although the intensity of his home plate concentration waned in following seasons, what he accomplished as a Zen batter was no small feat.
Baseball Reference: Tetsuharu Kawakami
Lion's Roar article from 2013
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