Japanese baseball
Encyclopedia
Baseball in Japan
Baseball is one of the most popular sports in Japan. It was introduced to Japan in 1872 by Horace Wilson, who taught at the Kaisei School in Tokyo. The first baseball team was called the Shimbashi Athletic Club and was established in 1878. Baseball has been a popular sport ever since...
. Locally, it is often called , meaning Professional Baseball. Outside of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball." The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation of the in 1934
1934 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over Detroit Tigers *All-Star Game, July 10 at Polo Grounds: American League, 9-7-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player:**American League: Mickey Cochrane, Detroit Tigers, C...
and the original Japanese Baseball League
Japanese Baseball League
For the current Japanese Professional League, see Nippon Professional Baseball. was a professional baseball league in Japan.It was established on February 5, 1936 as "Japan Occupational Baseball League". Then it was renamed "Japanese Baseball League" in 1939. It was run until 1949. There was no...
. NPB was formed when that league reorganized in 1950.
The league consists of two six-team circuits, the Central League
Central League
The or is one the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consists of six teams from around the country,The Central League...
and the Pacific League
Pacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series...
. Each season the winning clubs from the two leagues compete in the Japan Series
Japan Series
, or is the annual championship series in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top baseball league in Japan. It is a seven-game series between the winning clubs of the league's two circuits, the Central League and the Pacific League....
, the championship series of NPB.
Some notable Japanese players who have gone on to play in North America's Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
include Hideo Nomo
Hideo Nomo
is a former right-handed pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball from Japan. He achieved early success in Japan, where he played with the Kintetsu Buffaloes from to...
, Kazuhiro Sasaki
Kazuhiro Sasaki
Kazuhiro "Daimajin" Sasaki is a former Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. He played his entire NPB career with the Yokohama Taiyo Whales / Yokohama BayStars...
, Ichiro Suzuki
Ichiro Suzuki
, usually known simply as is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Seattle Mariners. Ichiro has established a number of batting records, including the sport's single-season record for hits with 262...
, Tadahito Iguchi
Tadahito Iguchi
is a Japanese second baseman currently playing for the Chiba Lotte Marines.-Early life and Japanese career:Iguchi began playing in high school and after graduating in 1993, went to Aoyama Gakuin University where he distinguished himself by hitting the Tohto University Baseball League record of...
, Kenji Johjima
Kenji Johjima
is a Japanese catcher who is currently playing for the Hanshin Tigers. He played in Major League Baseball for four years with the Seattle Mariners in the American League....
, Hideki Matsui
Hideki Matsui
is a Japanese Major League Baseball designated hitter and outfielder. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed.After playing the first ten seasons of his career for the Yomiuri Giants of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, he played the next seven seasons, from 2003–2009, for the New York...
, So Taguchi
So Taguchi
is a Nippon Professional Baseball outfielder who is currently playing with the Orix Buffaloes. Previously, he has played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs in Major League Baseball, and with the Orix BlueWave in Nippon Professional Baseball.Taguchi is the first...
, Hideki Irabu
Hideki Irabu
was a professional baseball player of Okinawan and American mixed ancestry. He played professionally in both Japan and the United States.-Early life:...
, Daisuke Matsuzaka
Daisuke Matsuzaka
is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball in the United States. He previously played for the Seibu Lions in Japan's Pacific League. He was selected the MVP of the inaugural and the second World Baseball Classic, and is an Olympic bronze...
, Hideki Okajima
Hideki Okajima
is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox organization in the United States, currently with their AAA affiliate, the Pawtucket Red Sox. He played with the Yomiuri Giants and Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league from 1994-2006...
, Kazuo Matsui
Kazuo Matsui
is a Japanese second baseman for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball. Matsui is a switch-hitter...
, Kazuhito Tadano
Kazuhito Tadano
is a right-handed pitcher for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan's Pacific League. He had previously pitched in Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Indians.-Biography:...
, Hiroki Kuroda
Hiroki Kuroda
is a professional baseball player from Osaka, Japan who is currently a free agent. He is a starting pitcher, who most recently pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers .-Early days:...
, Akinori Iwamura
Akinori Iwamura
Akinori Iwamura is a Japanese Major League Baseball infielder, who is currently with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Japanese Pacific League...
, Akinori Otsuka
Akinori Otsuka
is a currently inactive Japanese Major League Baseball player. He was formerly the set-up man for the San Diego Padres and the Texas Rangers...
, Shigetoshi Hasegawa
Shigetoshi Hasegawa
is a retired relief pitcher in Major League Baseball and best-selling author and Japanese television personality. He achieved the most recognition when he played for the Seattle Mariners from through . Previously, Hasegawa played with the Anaheim Angels , and before that spent six years with the...
, Kosuke Fukudome
Kosuke Fukudome
is a Japanese professional baseball outfielder.Prior to arriving in the United States, Fukudome played nine seasons for the Chunichi Dragons of the Japanese Central League...
, Koji Uehara
Koji Uehara
is a Major League Baseball Japanese right-handed relief pitcher. He is currently a relief pitcher for the Texas Rangers.Uehara throws a high-80s four-seam fastball and a solid forkball as his primary pitches...
, Kenshin Kawakami
Kenshin Kawakami
Kenshin Kawakami is a right-handed Japanese professional baseball starting pitcher, who is a free agent.-Japanese career:...
, Takashi Saito
Takashi Saito
is a Japanese professional baseball player.Saito previously pitched for the Yokohama BayStars in the Japanese Central League, compiling a record of 87–80 over 13 seasons...
, and Tsuyoshi Nishioka
Tsuyoshi Nishioka
is a professional baseball infielder who currently plays for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball. He also played in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Chiba Lotte Marines from 2003–10....
.
League structure
Nippon Professional Baseball consists of two leagues, the Central LeagueCentral League
The or is one the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consists of six teams from around the country,The Central League...
and the Pacific League
Pacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series...
. There are also two secondary-level professional minor leagues, the Eastern League
Eastern League (Japanese baseball)
The is one of the two minor leagues of Japanese professional baseball. The league is owned and managed by the Central League.-History:The league was created in 1955, and contained the minor league teams of the seven professional teams that had their homefields in the Eastern region of Japan...
and the Western League
Western League (Japanese baseball)
The is one of the two minor leagues of Japanese professional baseball. The league is owned and managed by the Pacific League.-History:The league was created in 1952 as the Kansai Farm League, and contained the minor league teams of the seven professional teams that had their homefields in the...
, that play shorter schedules.
The season starts in late March or early April and ends in October with two or three all star games in July. In recent decades, the two leagues each scheduled 130, 135 or 140 regular season games with the best teams from each league going on to play in the "Nippon Series" or Japan Series
Japan Series
, or is the annual championship series in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top baseball league in Japan. It is a seven-game series between the winning clubs of the league's two circuits, the Central League and the Pacific League....
. Starting in 2004, the Pacific League has had a postseason tournament to determine who advances to the Japan Series while the Central League initially did not. That changed in 2007, when the Central League adopted the Pacific League's tournament as well and the tournament became known as the Climax Series
Climax Series
The is the current annual playoff system employed by Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball . It determines which two teams from the Central League and the Pacific League will compete in the Japan Series for the national championship. Since the creation of the NPB's two-league system in 1950, the...
with the two winners, one from each league, competing in the Japan Series.
Comparison to Major League Baseball
Play in the Pacific LeaguePacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series...
is similar to that in American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
baseball, with the use of designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
s, unlike the Central League
Central League
The or is one the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consists of six teams from around the country,The Central League...
, which doesn't have the DH and is closer to National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
baseball. Unlike North American baseball, Japanese baseball games may end in a tie. If the score is tied after nine inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
s of play, up to three additional innings will be played. If there is no winner after 12 innings, the game is declared a draw, except in the postseason, where games that are tied after 15 innings must be replayed. Other differences from MLB
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
are that the general play is less aggressive, there are fewer home runs, and the ball is slightly smaller and wound more tightly. The strike zone
Strike zone
In baseball, the strike zone is a conceptual right pentagonal prism over home plate which defines the boundaries through which a pitch must pass in order to count as a strike when the batter does not swing.-Definition:...
, until 2009 was defined slightly differently to the MLB standards.
Unlike American pro teams, Japanese professional baseball teams are usually named after their corporate owners/sponsors rather than the cities or regions in which they play. This is because franchising does not have strong territorial requirements as in the Major Leagues; the teams used to locate in clustered metropolitan areas in Japan's center (Tokyo, Nagoya) and south (Osaka, Fukuoka) areas. The current trend is to include the place names as well as owners/sponsors in an attempt to gain support from the franchised communities. Currently, only the Giants, Tigers, Dragons and Buffaloes do not include a place name, and Maruha Corporation, owner of the Yokohama BayStars
Yokohama BayStars
The are a professional baseball team in the Japanese Central League. Home field is the Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The clubhouse is located near the stadium....
, has chosen not to include the company name in its team name, a first in Japanese baseball. Nevertheless, mass media still tend to choose the sponsor names in abbreviations on standing tables.
Financial problems
Financial problems hinder the league as a whole, but the problem is not a simple one to solve. It is believed that with the exception of the Yomiuri GiantsYomiuri Giants
The are a professional baseball team based in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. The team competes in the Central League in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top level of professional play in Japan. They play their home games in the Tokyo Dome, opened in 1988. The English-language press occasionally calls the...
and the Hanshin Tigers
Hanshin Tigers
The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Koshien, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and are in the Central League. Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd., the subsidiary of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., owns the Hanshin Tigers directly...
, all teams are operating with considerable subsidies, often as much as ¥
Japanese yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...
6 billion (about US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
50 million), from their parent companies. A rise in the salaries of players is often blamed, but, from the start of the professional league, parent companies paid the difference as an advertisement. Most teams have never tried to improve their finances through constructive marketing. Until Nippon-Ham Fighters moved to Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, there were six teams in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and its surrounding area and four teams in the Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
–Kōbe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
region before Nankai Hawks
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were...
(now Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were...
) moved to Fukuoka
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...
. The market was flooded, but this was considered acceptable, as there were no professional team sports challenging baseball's popularity.
Until 1993, baseball was the only team sport played professionally in Japan. In that year, the J. League
J. League
The or is the top division of and is the top professional association football league in Japan. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football and the only league given top class 'A' ranking by the AFC. Currently, J. League Division 1 is the first level of the Japanese...
professional association football league was founded. The new football league placed teams in prefectural capitals around the country - rather than clustering them in and around Tokyo - and the teams were named after their locations rather than after corporate sponsors. Some Japanese baseball teams responded to the success of the J. League by de-emphasizing the corporate sponsors in their marketing efforts and/or by relocating to outlying regions of the country.
The wave of players moving to Major League Baseball, which began with Hideo Nomo
Hideo Nomo
is a former right-handed pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball from Japan. He achieved early success in Japan, where he played with the Kintetsu Buffaloes from to...
"retiring" from the Kintetsu Buffaloes
Kintetsu Buffaloes
The was a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka, Japan, which were in the Pacific League. The team was owned by Kinki Nippon Railway Co. and later sold to the Orix Group, the owner of the Orix BlueWave baseball team, in 2004...
, then signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, has also added to the financial problems. Attendance suffered as teams lost their most marketable players, while TV ratings declined as viewers tuned into broadcasts of Major League games. To discourage players from leaving to play in North America, or to at least compensate teams that lose players, Japanese baseball and MLB agreed on a posting system
Posting system
The is a baseball player transfer system that operates between Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball and the United States' Major League Baseball . Despite the drafting of the United States – Japanese Player Contract Agreement in 1967 designed to regulate NPB players moving to MLB, problems...
for players under contract. MLB teams wishing to negotiate with a player submit bids for a "posting fee", which the winning MLB team would pay the Japanese team if the player signs with the MLB team. Free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
s are not subject to the posting system, however.
When the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
signed Daisuke Matsuzaka
Daisuke Matsuzaka
is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball in the United States. He previously played for the Seibu Lions in Japan's Pacific League. He was selected the MVP of the inaugural and the second World Baseball Classic, and is an Olympic bronze...
in 2006, he became the most expensive trans-Pacific transfer ever. While details remain undisclosed, several sources cite Matsuzaka as having received a guaranteed $52 million for a six-year contract (with elevator clauses potentially bringing the value up to $60 million), in addition to the $51.1 million posting fee
Posting system
The is a baseball player transfer system that operates between Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball and the United States' Major League Baseball . Despite the drafting of the United States – Japanese Player Contract Agreement in 1967 designed to regulate NPB players moving to MLB, problems...
that the Red Sox paid his former team, Seibu Lions, to release him.
On September 18, 2004, professional baseball players went on a two-day strike, the first strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
in the history of the league, to protest the proposed merger between the Orix BlueWave and the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes
Kintetsu Buffaloes
The was a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka, Japan, which were in the Pacific League. The team was owned by Kinki Nippon Railway Co. and later sold to the Orix Group, the owner of the Orix BlueWave baseball team, in 2004...
and the failure of the owners to agree to create a new team to fill the void resulting from the merger. The strike was settled on September 23, 2004, when the owners agreed to grant a new franchise in the Pacific League and to continue the two-league, 12-team system. The new team, the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
The is a baseball team founded in 2004; it played its first season in the Japanese Pacific League in 2005. It is simply called Rakuten . The team was created to fill the void left by the merger of the Orix Blue Wave and the Kintetsu Buffaloes, after the 2004 season due to financial difficulties,...
began play in the 2005 season.
History
Prior to 19501950 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Philadelphia Phillies *All-Star Game, July 11 at Comiskey Park: National League, 4-3 -Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Carta Vieja *College World Series: Texas...
, professional baseball in Japan
Professional baseball in Japan
Professional baseball in Japan first started in the 1920s, but it was not until the was established in 1934 that the modern professional game had continued success.-History:...
was the Japanese Baseball League
Japanese Baseball League
For the current Japanese Professional League, see Nippon Professional Baseball. was a professional baseball league in Japan.It was established on February 5, 1936 as "Japan Occupational Baseball League". Then it was renamed "Japanese Baseball League" in 1939. It was run until 1949. There was no...
. Before the 1950 season, the team owners reorganized into the NPB.
From 1973 to 1982, the Pacific League employed a split season with the first half winner playing against the second half winner in a mini-playoff to determine its champion. Then in 2004, the Pacific League played five fewer games than the Central League teams during the regular season and used a new playoff format to determine its champion. The teams in third and second place played in a best two of three series (all at the second place team's home ground) with the winner of that series going on to play the first place team in a best 3 of 5 format at its home ground. In the end, the Seibu Lions finished in second place, defeated Nippon-Ham 2 games to 1, went on to take 3 of 5 games in Fukuoka against the Daiei Hawks and then defeated the Chunichi Dragons in the Japan Series, 4 games to 3, capping off their grueling playoff drive with a well-earned championship. The System was proved successful when Pacific League's team continues to win the Japan Series in the following two seasons, until this playoff system was applied to both leagues as the "Climax Series" starting in 2007, which Chunichi Dragons from Central League beat Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters from Pacific League in Japan Series.
The two leagues began interleague play in 2005, with each team playing two 3-game series (one home, one away) against each of the six teams in the other league. This was reduced to two 2-game series in 2007. All interleague play games are played in a 7-week span near the middle of the season. Currently Pacific League's teams won all the interleague titles.
In 2011 Miyagi Baseball Stadium, home of the Rakuten Eagles, was badly damaged by the Tohoku earthquake.
Teams
| Team | City/Area | Stadium | Founded | Joined | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central League Central League The or is one the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consists of six teams from around the country,The Central League... |
||||||
| Chunichi Dragons Chunichi Dragons The are a professional baseball team based in Nagoya, the chief city in the Chubu region of Japan. The team is in the Central League. They won the 2007 Japan Series and 2007 Asia Series.-History:... |
Nagoya, Aichi Aichi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- History :... |
Nagoya Dome Nagoya Dome Nagoya Dome , constructed in 1997, is a baseball field, located in the city of Nagoya, Japan. The dome has the capacity to seat up to 38,414 people . It is an example of a geodesic dome.... |
1936 | 1950 | ||
| Hanshin Tigers Hanshin Tigers The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Koshien, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and are in the Central League. Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd., the subsidiary of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., owns the Hanshin Tigers directly... |
Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Hyogo Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :... |
Koshien Stadium Koshien Stadium is a baseball park located near Kobe in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The stadium was built to host the national high school baseball tournaments, and opened on April 1, 1924. It was the largest stadium in Asia at the time it was completed, with a capacity of 55,000.The name Kōshien comes... |
1935 | 1950 | ||
| Hiroshima Toyo Carp Hiroshima Toyo Carp The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda. Mazda is the largest single shareholder , which is less than the portion owned by the Matsuda family . Because of that,... |
Hiroshima Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M... , Hiroshima Hiroshima Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Hiroshima.- History :The area around Hiroshima was formerly divided into Bingo Province and Aki Province. This location has been a center of trade and culture since the beginning of Japan's recorded... |
Mazda Stadium | 1950 | |||
| Tokyo Yakult Swallows Tokyo Yakult Swallows is a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League.The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, the Yakult Corporation. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper Sankei... |
Shinjuku, Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... |
Meiji Jingu Stadium Meiji Jingu Stadium is a baseball stadium in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. It opened in 1926 and holds 37,933 spectators. Property of the Meiji Shrine, it is the home field of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows professional baseball team... |
1950 | |||
| Yokohama BayStars Yokohama BayStars The are a professional baseball team in the Japanese Central League. Home field is the Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The clubhouse is located near the stadium.... |
Yokohama Yokohama is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu... , Kanagawa Kanagawa Prefecture is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period... |
Yokohama Stadium Yokohama Stadium is a stadium in Naka Ward, Yokohama, Japan. It opened in 1978 and holds 30,000 people.It is primarily used for baseball and is the home field of the Yokohama BayStars. The stadium is unique, because it features dirt around the bases and pitcher's mound, but with dirt colored turf infield and base... |
1950 | |||
| Yomiuri Giants Yomiuri Giants The are a professional baseball team based in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. The team competes in the Central League in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top level of professional play in Japan. They play their home games in the Tokyo Dome, opened in 1988. The English-language press occasionally calls the... |
Bunkyo Bunkyo, Tokyo is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. Situated in the middle of the ward area, Bunkyō is a residential and educational center. Beginning in the Meiji period, literati like Natsume Sōseki, as well as scholars and politicians have lived there... , Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... |
Tokyo Dome Tokyo Dome Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium... |
1934 | 1950 | ||
| Pacific League Pacific League The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series... |
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| Chiba Lotte Marines Chiba Lotte Marines The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, in the Kantō region, and owned by the Lotte conglomerate.-History:... |
Chiba City, Chiba Chiba Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture... |
Chiba Marine Stadium Chiba Marine Stadium is a stadium in Chiba City, Japan. It opened in 1990 and holds 30,000 people.The official opening of the stadium was held on April 13, 1990, when popstar Madonna opened her Blond Ambition Tour at the venue... |
1950 | |||
| Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were... |
Fukuoka Fukuoka Fukuoka most often refers to the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture.It can also refer to:-Locations:* Fukuoka, Gifu, a town in Gifu Prefecture, Japan* Fukuoka, Toyama, a town in Toyama Prefecture, Japan... , Fukuoka Fukuoka Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen.... |
Fukuoka Dome Fukuoka Dome The is a baseball field, located in Chūō-ku, Fukuoka, Japan. Built in 1993, the stadium can accommodate 35,695 spectators and was Japan's first stadium with a retractable roof.... |
1938 | 1950 | ||
| Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters | Sapporo, Hokkaidō Hokkaido , formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel... |
Sapporo Dome Sapporo Dome The is a stadium located in Toyohira-ku, Sapporo, Japan, and is primarily used for baseball and football. It is the home field of the baseball team Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters and the football club Consadole Sapporo.-History:... |
1946 | 1950 | ||
| Orix Buffaloes Orix Buffaloes The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka and Kobe, Japan. They play in the Pacific League. The team is owned by the Orix Group, a leading diversified financial services company based in Tokyo.... |
Osaka Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe... , Osaka Osaka Prefecture is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.- History :... & Kobe Kobe , pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka... , Hyōgo Hyogo Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :... |
Osaka Dome Osaka Dome Osaka Dome is a baseball stadium located in Osaka, Japan. Beginning in 1997, the stadium was the home field of the Kintetsu Buffaloes. In 2005, the stadium became one of the homes of the Orix Buffaloes, a result of the merger between the Orix Blue Wave and Kintetsu Buffaloes. Prior to the Osaka... & Kobe Sports Park Baseball Stadium |
1936 | 1950 | ||
| Saitama Seibu Lions | Tokorozawa Tokorozawa, Saitama is a city in Saitama, Japan. It is located in the central part of the Musashino plain, about 30 km west of downtown Tokyo. Tokorozawa can be considered part of the greater Tokyo area; its proximity to the latter and lower housing costs make it a popular bedroom community.-Location:Tokorozawa... , Saitama Saitama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History... |
Seibu Dome Seibu Dome is the home field of the Saitama Seibu Lions professional baseball team located in Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan.The stadium has a roof over the field and the stands, like other indoor ballparks. However, it lacks a wall behind the stands so that natural air comes into the field. This makes it... |
1950 | |||
| Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles The is a baseball team founded in 2004; it played its first season in the Japanese Pacific League in 2005. It is simply called Rakuten . The team was created to fill the void left by the merger of the Orix Blue Wave and the Kintetsu Buffaloes, after the 2004 season due to financial difficulties,... |
Sendai, Miyagi Miyagi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku Region on Honshu island. The capital is Sendai.- History :Miyagi Prefecture was formerly part of the province of Mutsu. Mutsu Province, on northern Honshu, was one of the last provinces to be formed as land was taken from the indigenous Emishi, and became the... |
Miyagi Baseball Stadium | 2005 | |||
| Team | City | Stadium | Joined | Ceased Operations | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defunct Clubs | |||||
| Daiei Unions | Bunkyo Bunkyo, Tokyo is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. Situated in the middle of the ward area, Bunkyō is a residential and educational center. Beginning in the Meiji period, literati like Natsume Sōseki, as well as scholars and politicians have lived there... , Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... |
Korakuen Stadium Korakuen Stadium was a stadium in Tokyo, Japan. Completed in 1937, it was primarily used for baseball and was home to the Yomiuri Giants until 1988 when they moved next door, to the Tokyo Dome, which sits on the site of the Velodrome. The ballpark had a capacity of 50,000 people. In 1942 Korakuen Stadium played... |
1946 | 1957 | Merged with the Mainichi Orions Chiba Lotte Marines The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, in the Kantō region, and owned by the Lotte conglomerate.-History:... |
| Nishi Nippon Pirates Nishi Nippon Pirates The were a Japanese baseball team and a founding member of the Central League in 1950.The team existed for one season and was owned by the Nishi-Nippon Shimbun. The team placed sixth in 1950 and in the following season the team merged with the also Fukuoka-based Nishitetsu Clippers and formed the... |
Fukuoka Fukuoka Fukuoka most often refers to the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture.It can also refer to:-Locations:* Fukuoka, Gifu, a town in Gifu Prefecture, Japan* Fukuoka, Toyama, a town in Toyama Prefecture, Japan... , Fukuoka Fukuoka Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen.... |
Heiwadai Stadium Heiwadai Stadium was a stadium in Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan. It was primarily used for baseball and was home of the Nishitetsu Lions until they moved to Tokorozawa and the Seibu Dome in 1979. The stadium was opened in 1928 and had a capacity of 32,000 people.... |
1950 | 1950 | Merged with the Nishitetsu Clippers |
| Kintetsu Buffaloes Kintetsu Buffaloes The was a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka, Japan, which were in the Pacific League. The team was owned by Kinki Nippon Railway Co. and later sold to the Orix Group, the owner of the Orix BlueWave baseball team, in 2004... |
Osaka Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe... , Osaka Osaka Prefecture is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.- History :... |
Osaka Dome Osaka Dome Osaka Dome is a baseball stadium located in Osaka, Japan. Beginning in 1997, the stadium was the home field of the Kintetsu Buffaloes. In 2005, the stadium became one of the homes of the Orix Buffaloes, a result of the merger between the Orix Blue Wave and Kintetsu Buffaloes. Prior to the Osaka... |
1949 | 2004 | Merged with the Orix BlueWave Orix Buffaloes The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka and Kobe, Japan. They play in the Pacific League. The team is owned by the Orix Group, a leading diversified financial services company based in Tokyo.... |
| Shochiku Robins | Kyoto Kyoto is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:... , Kyoto Kyoto Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Kyoto.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Kyoto prefecture was known as Yamashiro.... |
Kinugasa Stadium | 1936 | 1952 | Merged with the Taiyō Whales Yokohama BayStars The are a professional baseball team in the Japanese Central League. Home field is the Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The clubhouse is located near the stadium.... |
| Takahashi Unions | Kawasaki Kawasaki, Kanagawa is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, between Tokyo and Yokohama. It is the 9th most populated city in Japan and one of the main cities forming the Greater Tokyo Area and Keihin Industrial Area.... , Kanagawa Kanagawa Prefecture is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period... |
Kawasaki Stadium Kawasaki Stadium was a stadium in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan. The stadium was opened in 1952 and had a capacity of 30,000 people.It was primarily used for baseball and was home of the Taiyo Whales until they moved to Yokohama in 1977 and became the Yokohama Taiyo Whales... |
1954 | 1956 | Merged with the Daiei Stars |
Awards
- Nippon Professional Baseball Most Valuable Player AwardNippon Professional Baseball Most Valuable Player AwardThe is an honor given annually in baseball to two outstanding players in Nippon Professional Baseball , one each for the Central League and Pacific League....
- Nippon Professional Baseball Rookie of the Year AwardNippon Professional Baseball Rookie of the Year AwardThe Nippon Professional Baseball Rookie of the Year Award is given to one player in each league of Central League and Pacific League.-Central League:-Pacific League:-See also:*Nippon Professional Baseball#Awards*Baseball awards#Japan...
- Nippon Professional Baseball Comeback Player of the Year AwardNippon Professional Baseball Comeback Player of the Year AwardThe Nippon Professional Baseball Comeback Player of the Year Award is given to one player in each league of Central League and Pacific League.-NPB Comeback Player of the Year Award:-See also:*Nippon Professional Baseball#Awards*Baseball awards#Japan...
- Eiji Sawamura Award
- Mitsui Golden Glove AwardMitsui Golden Glove AwardThe Mitsui Golden Glove Award, sponsored by Japan's Mitsui Group, is annually awarded to nine fielders in Japan's professional baseball leagues by the Nippon Professional Baseball Association. The players are selected based on votes by TV, radio, and newspaper journalists with over 5 years...
- Golden Spirit AwardGolden Spirit AwardThe Golden Spirit Award is given annually to the Nippon Professional Baseball player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team", as voted on by members of the media....
- Matsutaro Shoriki Award
- Japan SeriesJapan Series, or is the annual championship series in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top baseball league in Japan. It is a seven-game series between the winning clubs of the league's two circuits, the Central League and the Pacific League....
Most Valuable Player - Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star GameNippon Professional Baseball All-Star GameThe Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star Game is an annual baseball game between players from the Central League and the Pacific League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
Most Valuable Player
Single season batting
| Player | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Batting Average | ||
 Randy BassRandy Bass is a former American baseball player and current politician. He is less notable for his career in Major League Baseball than for his success in Japan's Hanshin Tigers of Central League, where he had the most spectacular run of any American to ever play in Japan... |
.389 | 1986 |
 Ichiro SuzukiIchiro Suzuki , usually known simply as is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Seattle Mariners. Ichiro has established a number of batting records, including the sport's single-season record for hits with 262... |
.387 | 2000 |
| Ichiro Suzuki |
.385 | 1994 |
| Home Runs | ||
 Alex CabreraAlex Cabrera Alex Cabrera is a Venezuelan first baseman and right-handed batter who played in Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball... |
55 | 2002 |
| Tuffy Rhodes Tuffy Rhodes Karl Derrick "Tuffy" Rhodes is a professional baseball player. He played six years in Major League Baseball in the US, and eleven years in Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan.... |
55 | 2001 |
 Sadaharu OhSadaharu Oh Sadaharu Oh, or Wang Chenchih , is a retired Japanese-Taiwanese baseball player and manager. He batted and threw left-handed and primarily played first base. Oh, who was born in Sumida, Tokyo the son of a Taiwanese father and a Japanese mother, had originally signed with the powerhouse Yomiuri... |
55 | 1964 |
| Randy Bass Randy Bass is a former American baseball player and current politician. He is less notable for his career in Major League Baseball than for his success in Japan's Hanshin Tigers of Central League, where he had the most spectacular run of any American to ever play in Japan... |
54 | 1985 |
| RBIs | ||
| Makoto Kozuru |
161 | 1950 |
| Robert Rose Robert Rose (baseball) Robert Richard "Bobby" Rose, born March 15, 1967) is a former major league baseball player from Covina, California. He played on the California Angels in the major leagues, and on the Yokohama BayStars in the Japanese Central League.-Biography:... |
153 | 1999 |
| Makoto Imaoka Makoto Imaoka Makoto Imaoka is a Japanese professional baseball player from Takarazuka, Hyōgo, Japan.Imaoka spent several uneventful seasons in the Japanese professional leagues before being chosen as the lead-off batter by Senichi Hoshino, who managed the Hanshin Tigers from 2002-2004... |
147 | 2005 |
| Fumio Fujimura Fumio Fujimura was a Japanese right-handed pitcher for the Osaka Tigers in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.In the 1933 National High School Baseball Championship, Fujimura's team reached the quarterfinals but his opponent Masao Yoshida pitched a shutout in the game. In the final of 1934 National High School... |
146 | 1950 |
| Hiromitsu Ochiai Hiromitsu Ochiai Hiromitsu Ochiai is a former Japanese professional baseball player. He is currently manager of the Chunichi Dragons in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball... |
146 | 1985 |
| Hits | ||
| Matt Murton Matt Murton Matthew Henry Murton is an outfielder for the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan... |
214 | 2010 |
| Ichiro Suzuki Ichiro Suzuki , usually known simply as is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Seattle Mariners. Ichiro has established a number of batting records, including the sport's single-season record for hits with 262... |
210 | 1994 |
| Norichika Aoki Norichika Aoki is a Japanese professional baseball player. He is currently an outfielder for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.Aoki is one of only four players to amass 200 or more hits in a single season in Japanese professional baseball... |
209 | 2010 |
| Stolen Bases | ||
| Yutaka Fukumoto Yutaka Fukumoto Yutaka Fukumoto is a retired Japanese professional baseball player in Nippon Professional Baseball born in Osaka, Osaka.After a brief career at the company team of Matsushita, he was drafted seventh overall by the Hankyu Braves in 1968. In only his second season, he stole 75 bases, setting the... |
106 | 1972 |
| Strikeouts | ||
| Ralph Bryant Ralph Bryant Ralph Wendell Bryant is a former Major League Baseball player. He played with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the major leagues, and with the Chunichi Dragons and Kintetsu Buffaloes in Nippon Professional Baseball... |
204 | 1993 |
| Ralph Bryant |
198 | 1990 |
| Ralph Bryant |
187 | 1989 |
| Ralph Bryant |
176 | 1992 |
| Akinori Iwamura Akinori Iwamura Akinori Iwamura is a Japanese Major League Baseball infielder, who is currently with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Japanese Pacific League... |
173 | 2004 |
 Orestes DestradeOrestes Destrade Orestes Cucuas Destrade , is a former Major League Baseball infielder.-Biography:Destrade was born in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, but emigrated to the United States with his family at the age of six. During his youth, he played Khoury League at Flagami Park in Miami. He graduated from Christopher... |
165 | 1990 |
Single season pitching
| Player | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| ERA | ||
| Hideo Fujimoto Hideo Fujimoto was a Japanese baseball pitcher. He holds the Japanese records for lowest career ERA and seasonal ERA . At Aomori Stadium, in he pitched the first perfect game in NPB history.... |
0.73 | 1943 |
| Masaru Kageura Masaru Kageura was a Japanese baseball player from Matsuyama, Ehime. His team reached the final in the 1932 National High School Baseball Championship, but his team was defeated by Masao Yoshida in the final. He joined Tigers and he was a good rival for Eiji Sawamura in Giants. He was killed in the battle of the... |
0.79 | 1936 fall |
| Eiji Sawamura Eiji Sawamura Eiji Sawamura was a Japanese professional baseball player... |
0.81 | 1937 spring |
| Wins | ||
 Victor StarffinVictor Starffin Victor Starffin , nicknamed , was an ethnic Russian baseball player in Japan and the first professional pitcher in Japan to win three hundred games.-Biography:... |
42 | 1942 |
| Kazuhisa Inao Kazuhisa Inao was a Japanese professional baseball pitcher. In 1957, he won 20 consecutive games. In 1958 Japan Series, he pitched six games and won 4 consecutive games after his team lost 3 games. He even made a home run in fifth game of Japan Series. He was the Pacific League's Most Valuable Player in 1957 and... |
42 | 1961 |
| Jiro Noguchi |
40 | 1942 |
| Strikeouts | ||
| Yutaka Enatsu Yutaka Enatsu is a former Japanese pitcher regarded as one of best Japanese pitchers of all-time. In , he recorded 401 strikeouts, which is still the world record. He recorded 9 consecutive strikeouts in one of the All-Star games, and 15 consecutive strikeouts in three of the All-Star games between and 1971.... |
401 | 1968 |
| Kazuhisa Inao |
353 | 1961 |
Career batting
| Player | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Batting Average | ||
| Leron Lee Leron Lee Leron Lee is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball who played 8 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians and San Diego Padres.... |
.334 | 1977–1987 |
| Tsutomu Wakamatsu |
.31918 | 1971–1989 |
 Isao Harimoto |
.31915 | 1959–1981 |
| Home Runs | ||
| Sadaharu Oh Sadaharu Oh Sadaharu Oh, or Wang Chenchih , is a retired Japanese-Taiwanese baseball player and manager. He batted and threw left-handed and primarily played first base. Oh, who was born in Sumida, Tokyo the son of a Taiwanese father and a Japanese mother, had originally signed with the powerhouse Yomiuri... |
868 | 1959–1980 |
| Hits | ||
| Isao Harimoto Isao Harimoto Isao Harimoto is a Korean former Nippon Professional Baseball player and holder of the record for most hits in the Japanese professional leagues. An ethnic Korean, his birth name is Jang Hun... |
3085 | 1959–1981 |
| RBIs | ||
| Sadaharu Oh Sadaharu Oh Sadaharu Oh, or Wang Chenchih , is a retired Japanese-Taiwanese baseball player and manager. He batted and threw left-handed and primarily played first base. Oh, who was born in Sumida, Tokyo the son of a Taiwanese father and a Japanese mother, had originally signed with the powerhouse Yomiuri... |
2170 | 1959-1980 |
| Stolen Bases | ||
| Yutaka Fukumoto |
1065 | 1969–1988 |
| Strikeouts | ||
| Koji Akiyama Koji Akiyama Koji Akiyama is a retired Japanese professional baseball player. He played for the Seibu Lions and the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball... |
1712 | 1981-2002 |
- Ichiro Suzuki hit .353 for his Japanese career (1993–2000), but did not have enough at-bats to qualify for career leadership.
Career pitching
| Player | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| ERA | ||
| Hideo Fujimoto |
1.90 | 1942–1955 |
| Wins | ||
| Masaichi Kaneda Masaichi Kaneda is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He is one of the best known pitchers in Japanese baseball history, and is the only Japanese pitcher to have won 400 games. He was inducted in the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988.... |
400 | 1950–1969 |
| Tetsuya Yoneda |
350 | 1956–1977 |
| Masaaki Koyama |
320 | 1953–1973 |
| Keishi Suzuki |
317 | 1966–1985 |
| Takehiko Bessho |
310 | 1942–1960 |
| Victor Starffin |
303 | 1936–1955 |
| Strikeouts | ||
| Masaichi Kaneda |
4490 | |
Perfect games
| Date | Pitcher (Club) | Score | Opponent | Ballpark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 28, 1950 | Hideo Fujimoto Hideo Fujimoto was a Japanese baseball pitcher. He holds the Japanese records for lowest career ERA and seasonal ERA . At Aomori Stadium, in he pitched the first perfect game in NPB history.... (Yomiuri Giants Yomiuri Giants The are a professional baseball team based in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. The team competes in the Central League in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top level of professional play in Japan. They play their home games in the Tokyo Dome, opened in 1988. The English-language press occasionally calls the... ) |
4–0 | Nishi-Nippon Pirates | Aomori Stadium Aomori Stadium Aomori Stadium is a stadium in Aomori, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. The stadium holds 10,010 people. The stadium was built in 1950 and was repaired in 2000. On June 28, 1950, Hideo Fujimoto pitched a perfect game at the stadium. The stadium is usually used for not Nippon Professional Baseball but High... |
| June 19, 1955 | Fumio Takechi (Kintetsu Pearls Orix Buffaloes The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka and Kobe, Japan. They play in the Pacific League. The team is owned by the Orix Group, a leading diversified financial services company based in Tokyo.... ) |
1–0 | Daiei Stars | Ōsaka Stadium Osaka Stadium Osaka Stadium was a stadium in Naniwa-ku, Osaka, Japan. The stadium was opened in 1950, with a capacity of 32,000 people.It was primarily used for baseball and was home of the Nankai Hawks until they moved to the Heiwadai Stadium in 1988.... |
| September 19, 1956 | Yoshitomo Miyaji (Kokutetsu Swallows Tokyo Yakult Swallows is a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League.The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, the Yakult Corporation. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper Sankei... ) |
6–0 | Hiroshima Carp Hiroshima Toyo Carp The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda. Mazda is the largest single shareholder , which is less than the portion owned by the Matsuda family . Because of that,... |
Kanazawa Stadium |
| August 21, 1957 | Masaichi Kaneda Masaichi Kaneda is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He is one of the best known pitchers in Japanese baseball history, and is the only Japanese pitcher to have won 400 games. He was inducted in the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988.... (Kokutetsu Swallows Tokyo Yakult Swallows is a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League.The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, the Yakult Corporation. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper Sankei... ) |
1–0 | Chunichi Dragons Chunichi Dragons The are a professional baseball team based in Nagoya, the chief city in the Chubu region of Japan. The team is in the Central League. They won the 2007 Japan Series and 2007 Asia Series.-History:... |
Chunichi Stadium |
| July 19, 1958 | Sadao Nishimura (Nishitetsu Lions) | 1–0 | Toei Flyers | Komazawa Stadium Komazawa Stadium Komazawa Olympic Park Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Tokyo, Japan. It is currently used mostly for football matches . The stadium holds 22,892 people.... |
| August 11, 1960 | Gentaro Shimada (Taiyō Whales Yokohama BayStars The are a professional baseball team in the Japanese Central League. Home field is the Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The clubhouse is located near the stadium.... ) |
1–0 | Ōsaka Tigers Hanshin Tigers The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Koshien, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and are in the Central League. Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd., the subsidiary of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., owns the Hanshin Tigers directly... |
Kawasaki Stadium Kawasaki Stadium was a stadium in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan. The stadium was opened in 1952 and had a capacity of 30,000 people.It was primarily used for baseball and was home of the Taiyo Whales until they moved to Yokohama in 1977 and became the Yokohama Taiyo Whales... |
| June 20, 1961 | Yoshimi Moritaki (Kokutetsu Swallows Tokyo Yakult Swallows is a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League.The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, the Yakult Corporation. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper Sankei... ) |
1–0 | Chunichi Dragons Chunichi Dragons The are a professional baseball team based in Nagoya, the chief city in the Chubu region of Japan. The team is in the Central League. They won the 2007 Japan Series and 2007 Asia Series.-History:... |
Korakuen Stadium Korakuen Stadium was a stadium in Tokyo, Japan. Completed in 1937, it was primarily used for baseball and was home to the Yomiuri Giants until 1988 when they moved next door, to the Tokyo Dome, which sits on the site of the Velodrome. The ballpark had a capacity of 50,000 people. In 1942 Korakuen Stadium played... |
| May 1, 1966 | Yoshiro Sasaki (Taiyō Whales Yokohama BayStars The are a professional baseball team in the Japanese Central League. Home field is the Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The clubhouse is located near the stadium.... ) |
1–0 | Hiroshima Carp Hiroshima Toyo Carp The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda. Mazda is the largest single shareholder , which is less than the portion owned by the Matsuda family . Because of that,... |
Hiroshima Municipal Stadium Hiroshima Municipal Stadium is a stadium in Hiroshima, Japan. It is primarily used for baseball, and was the home field of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. It opened in 1957 and holds 31,984 people.... |
| May 12, 1966 | Tsutomu Tanaka (Nishitetsu Lions Seibu Lions The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based west of Tokyo in Tokorozawa, Saitama. Before 1979, they were based in Fukuoka in Kyushu. The team is owned by a subsidiary of Prince Hotels, which in turn is owned by the Seibu Group... ) |
2–0 | Nankai Hawks Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were... |
Heiwadai Stadium Heiwadai Stadium was a stadium in Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan. It was primarily used for baseball and was home of the Nishitetsu Lions until they moved to Tokorozawa and the Seibu Dome in 1979. The stadium was opened in 1928 and had a capacity of 32,000 people.... |
| September 14, 1968 | Yoshiro Sotokoba (Hiroshima Toyo Carp Hiroshima Toyo Carp The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda. Mazda is the largest single shareholder , which is less than the portion owned by the Matsuda family . Because of that,... ) |
2–0 | Taiyō Whales Yokohama BayStars The are a professional baseball team in the Japanese Central League. Home field is the Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The clubhouse is located near the stadium.... |
Hiroshima Municipal Stadium Hiroshima Municipal Stadium is a stadium in Hiroshima, Japan. It is primarily used for baseball, and was the home field of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. It opened in 1957 and holds 31,984 people.... |
| October 6, 1970 | Koichiro Sasaki (Kintetsu Buffaloes Orix Buffaloes The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka and Kobe, Japan. They play in the Pacific League. The team is owned by the Orix Group, a leading diversified financial services company based in Tokyo.... ) |
3–0 | Nankai Hawks Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were... |
Ōsaka Stadium Osaka Stadium Osaka Stadium was a stadium in Naniwa-ku, Osaka, Japan. The stadium was opened in 1950, with a capacity of 32,000 people.It was primarily used for baseball and was home of the Nankai Hawks until they moved to the Heiwadai Stadium in 1988.... |
| August 21, 1971 | Yoshimasa Takahashi (Toei Flyers) | 4–0 | Nishitetsu Lions Seibu Lions The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based west of Tokyo in Tokorozawa, Saitama. Before 1979, they were based in Fukuoka in Kyushu. The team is owned by a subsidiary of Prince Hotels, which in turn is owned by the Seibu Group... |
Korakuen Stadium Korakuen Stadium was a stadium in Tokyo, Japan. Completed in 1937, it was primarily used for baseball and was home to the Yomiuri Giants until 1988 when they moved next door, to the Tokyo Dome, which sits on the site of the Velodrome. The ballpark had a capacity of 50,000 people. In 1942 Korakuen Stadium played... |
| October 10, 1973 | Soroku Yagisawa (Lotte Orions Chiba Lotte Marines The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, in the Kantō region, and owned by the Lotte conglomerate.-History:... ) |
1–0 | Taiheiyo Club Lions Seibu Lions The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based west of Tokyo in Tokorozawa, Saitama. Before 1979, they were based in Fukuoka in Kyushu. The team is owned by a subsidiary of Prince Hotels, which in turn is owned by the Seibu Group... |
Miyagi Stadium Fullcast Stadium Miyagi The is a stadium in Sendai, Japan. It is primarily used for baseball as the home field of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. It opened in 1950. In order to modernize the facility for the Golden Eagles' first season , seating was reduced from approximately 28,600 to about 20,000, as more-spacious... |
| August 31, 1978 | Yutaro Imai (Hankyu Braves Orix Buffaloes The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka and Kobe, Japan. They play in the Pacific League. The team is owned by the Orix Group, a leading diversified financial services company based in Tokyo.... ) |
5–0 | Lotte Orions Chiba Lotte Marines The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, in the Kantō region, and owned by the Lotte conglomerate.-History:... |
Miyagi Stadium Fullcast Stadium Miyagi The is a stadium in Sendai, Japan. It is primarily used for baseball as the home field of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. It opened in 1950. In order to modernize the facility for the Golden Eagles' first season , seating was reduced from approximately 28,600 to about 20,000, as more-spacious... |
| May 18, 1994 | Hiromi Makihara Hiromi Makihara Hiromi Makihara is a former Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher. He was a six-time Central League All-Star, won Rookie of the Year honors, and pitched a perfect game in a 19-year career with the Yomiuri Giants. He is also the last man in Japanese baseball to throw a perfect game, a feat he... (Yomiuri Giants Yomiuri Giants The are a professional baseball team based in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. The team competes in the Central League in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top level of professional play in Japan. They play their home games in the Tokyo Dome, opened in 1988. The English-language press occasionally calls the... ) |
6–0 | Hiroshima Toyo Carp Hiroshima Toyo Carp The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda. Mazda is the largest single shareholder , which is less than the portion owned by the Matsuda family . Because of that,... |
Fukuoka Dome Fukuoka Dome The is a baseball field, located in Chūō-ku, Fukuoka, Japan. Built in 1993, the stadium can accommodate 35,695 spectators and was Japan's first stadium with a retractable roof.... |
| November 1, 2007 | Daisuke Yamai Daisuke Yamai is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher with the Chunichi Dragons. In the 2007 Nippon Series, he threw eight innings of a combined perfect game with Hitoki Iwase to decide the series against the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.-References:... and Hitoki Iwase Hitoki Iwase Hitoki Iwase is a Japanese professional baseball player from Nishio, Aichi, Japan. He is a closing pitcher.... (Chunichi Dragons Chunichi Dragons The are a professional baseball team based in Nagoya, the chief city in the Chubu region of Japan. The team is in the Central League. They won the 2007 Japan Series and 2007 Asia Series.-History:... ) |
1–0† | Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters | Nagoya Dome Nagoya Dome Nagoya Dome , constructed in 1997, is a baseball field, located in the city of Nagoya, Japan. The dome has the capacity to seat up to 38,414 people . It is an example of a geodesic dome.... |
- †: 5th game of Japan Series2007 Japan SeriesThe Japan Series, the 58th edition of Nippon Professional Baseball's championship series, began Saturday, October 27, 2007, pitting the Pacific League Regular League and Climax Series' Champion, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, and the Chunichi Dragons, winners of the Central League's Climax...
; In NPB, no-hitters or perfect games achieved by multiple pitchers in one game are considered unofficial.
See also
- Professional baseball in JapanProfessional baseball in JapanProfessional baseball in Japan first started in the 1920s, but it was not until the was established in 1934 that the modern professional game had continued success.-History:...
- Japanese Baseball Hall of FameJapanese Baseball Hall of FameThe Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a Museum which includes a library, reference rooms and Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame ....
- List of Japanese baseball players
- List of Japanese players in Major League Baseball
- Shikoku Island League (Regional semi-professional league)
- Baseball in JapanBaseball in JapanBaseball is one of the most popular sports in Japan. It was introduced to Japan in 1872 by Horace Wilson, who taught at the Kaisei School in Tokyo. The first baseball team was called the Shimbashi Athletic Club and was established in 1878. Baseball has been a popular sport ever since...
- High school baseball in JapanHigh school baseball in JapanIn Japan, high school baseball generally refers to the two annual baseball tournaments played by high schools nationwide culminating at a final showdown at Hanshin Kōshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, Japan...