[1] Born in Tokyo Prefecture, Sugishita attended Teikyo Shogyo High School and Meiji University.

In 1951, he went 28-13 with a 2.36 ERA, leading the Central League in victories and winning his first Eiji Sawamura Award.

He pitched 395+1⁄3 innings, had 27 complete games, 7 shutouts, and 273 strikeouts, and was named Most Valuable Player of the Central League.

Capping off the season, he was the MVP of 1954 Japan Series, pitching in four of the seven games and winning three of them, including the game-seven clincher.

Sugishita went back to managing, leading the Hanshin Tigers in 1966, and returning to Chunichi in 1968.