TOKYO -- Japan's career home run leader Sadaharu Oh has been hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported on Friday.

Kyodo cited the Japanese club the SoftBank Hawks, where Oh is the club chairman. Kyodo said Oh was admitted to a hospital in southwestern Japan in Miyazaki prefecture.

The agency said the 82-year-old Oh was admitted after complaining of a fever and throat pain. It gave no further details.

Oh hit 868 home runs in Japanese baseball and played for Tokyo's Yomiuri Giants, primarily as a first baseman. He batted and threw left-handed.

Oh also held the single-season record in Japan of 55 home runs until Wladimir Balentien hit 60 in 2013.