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Saitama Seibu Lions

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The Saitama Seibu Lions (埼玉西武ライオンズ, Saitama Seibu Raionzu) are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based north of Tokyo in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture. Before 1979, they were based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture in Kyushu. The team is owned by a subsidiary of Seibu Railway, which in turn is owned by the Seibu Holdings. The team experienced a recent period of financial difficulty, but the situation brightened when the team received a record ¥6 billion (about $51.11 million) posting fee from the Boston Red Sox for the right to negotiate a contract with Daisuke Matsuzaka. Between 1978 and 2008, the team logo and mascot were based on the adult version of Kimba the White Lion, a classic Japanese anime and manga series by Osamu Tezuka.[a][b] In 2004, former Seibu Lions player Kazuo Matsui became the first Japanese infielder to play in Major League Baseball.[2]

Saitama Seibu Lions
埼玉西武ライオンズ
Team logo Cap insignia
Information
LeagueNippon Professional Baseball
Pacific League (1950–present)
LocationTokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
BallparkBelluna Dome
FoundedNovember 26, 1949; 74 years ago (1949-11-26)
Nickname(s)Shishi (獅子, lion)
PL pennants23 (1954, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1963, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2018, 2019)
Japan Series championships13 (1956, 1957, 1958, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2004, 2008)
Former name(s)
  • Seibu Lions (1979–2007)
  • Crown Lighter Lions (1977–1978)
  • Taiheiyo Club Lions (1973–1976)
  • Nishitetsu Lions (1951–1972)
  • Nishitetsu Clippers (1950)
Former ballparks
ColorsLegend Blue, Lions Blue, Black, Red, White[1]
         
MascotLeo and Lina
Playoff berths13 (1982, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022)
Retired numbers
OwnershipTakashi Goto
ManagementSeibu Railway
ManagerFumiya Nishiguchi
Uniforms

Franchise history

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Nishitetsu Clippers (1950)

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In 1950, the team became a founding member of the Pacific League. It was then owned by a private railroad company Nishi-Nippon Railroad, well known as "Nishitetsu", which was based in Fukuoka in Kyushu, the western area of Japan (Nishi-Nippon). The Clippers name was chosen as Nishitetsu was in charge of Pan American Airlines' Japanese operations (back then, Pan Am's jets were known as "Clippers" due to them being aeronautical Boeing 314 Clipper).[3] The team finished sixth that year, and at the end of the season, Nishitetsu was merged with another professional baseball club in Fukuoka, the Nishi-Nippon Pirates, which belonged to the Central League and managed by a local newspaper company the Nishinippon Shimbun. The new club was to form the Nishitetsu Lions. Thus the Lions name was adopted and has been retained up to today as the name of the franchise.

Nishitetsu Lions (1951–1972)

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The Nishitetsu Lions called Heiwadai Stadium home for their entire existence. They were one of the most dominant teams in the Pacific League during the 1950s, winning four pennants, including three straight Japan Series against the Yomiuri Giants behind famed manager Osamu Mihara; their last championship in Fukuoka came in 1958; after which Mihara left for the Taiyo Whales and led them to a Japan Series championship over the Daimai Orions in 1960.

The team struggled through the following decade and did not witness much success on the field. In 1969 and 1970, the team was caught up in the infamous Black Mist game-fixing scandal, which resulted in four Lions pitchers being banned from NPB for life, as well as other players receiving lesser punishments. These losses decimated the team which the team would not recover from for the rest of their time in Fukuoka, which finished the 1970 season in last place.

After a third straight last-place finish, and with Nishi-Nippon not wanting to do with anything to the team due to the Black Mist Scandal, in November 1972, the franchise was sold to the Fukuoka Baseball Corporation, a shell company within Nishi-Nippon Railroad. Following the sale, the team was renamed the Taiheiyo Club Lions.

Taiheiyo Club Lions (1973–1976)

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Nishi-Nippon Railroad, founded by Nagayoshi Nakamura, then owner of Lotte Corporation and the Orions, sold the team's sponsorship rights to Taiheiyo Club, a golf course and resort developer in 1973. The Lions, still smarting from the after-effects of the Black Mist Scandal, finished no higher than third throughout the 1970s.

Crown Lighter Lions (1977–1978)

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At the end of the 1976 season, the Fukuoka Baseball Corporation announced that the team's new sponsor was Crown Gas Lighter. With this, the team's name for the upcoming season was changed to the Crown Lighter Lions. On October 25, 1978, the team was sold to Kokudo Keikaku (later Kokudo), and then merged into Prince Hotels.

Seibu Lions (1979–2007)

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Following the sale of the Crown Lighter Lions and their merging into Prince Hotels, the team was renamed the Seibu Lions and relocated to a new ballpark northward in Tokorozawa, Saitama, west of the Tokyo area. Fukuoka would be left without an NPB team until 1989, when the erstwhile Nankai Hawks were bought by Daiei (they are now owned by the SoftBank Group) and moved to the Lions' former stadium, Heiwadai Stadium.

Golden Age (1982–1994)

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The Lions finished in last place in 1979 (something the team would not do again until 2021), and finished in fourth place in 1980 and 1981. However, the following seasons would mark the beginning of a period of sustained success for the team under new manager Tatsuro Hirooka and with star players such as Osamu Higashio and Kōichi Tabuchi. Tatsuro Hirooka told the players that meat and other animal foods increase athletes' susceptibility to injury, and decrease their ability to perform. He required all players to take up a strictly vegetarian diet.[4] The club won consecutive Japan Series in 1982 and 1983, and went to the Japan Series again in 1985, but lost to the Hanshin Tigers, who won their first Japan Series title. That Japan Series was also notable for the Tigers also breaking tradition by becoming the first Central League club to use the designated hitter during the Japan Series, prior to the NPB requiring its use during the Japan Series in Pacific League stadiums in 1990 (with it eventually being also used in interleague play when it was introduced in 2005).

Following the 1986 season, the club replaced Hirooka with Masaaki Mori, who was able to sustain the team's prolonged success. Mori won eight league championships, between 1986 and 1988 and 1990–1994, and six Japan Series championships in his nine-year managing career, winning the Japan Series in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, and 1992.

The team gained the moniker "Invincible Seibu" during the 1980s and 1990s due to their sustained domination of the league. The Lions had a powerful lineup in this period, loaded with sluggers such as Koji Akiyama, Kazuhiro Kiyohara and Orestes Destrade. Their defense also benefited from the services of skilled players such as Hiromichi Ishige, Romeo Calhoun, Hatsuhiko Tsuji and catcher Tsutomu Ito. Among the pitchers employed by the Lions in this period was "The Oriental Express" Taigen Kaku, Kimiyasu Kudoh, Hisanobu Watanabe, and relievers Yoshitaka Katori and Tetsuya Shiozaki.

Prominent Golden Age Players
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Name position Title and accomplishment Note
Koji Akiyama CF Home Run title 1987, Stolen Base title 1990, Golden Glove 1987–1996, 1999
437 HR and 303 SB in career		 Belonged to Fukuoka Daiei Hawks from 1994 to 2002. Hawks manager from 2009 to 2014.
Kazuhiro Kiyohara 1B Rookie of the year 1986, Golden Glove (1988,1990, 1992–1994),
525 HR and 1527 RBIs in career		 Belonged to Yomiuri Giants from 1997 to 2005, Orix Buffaloes from 2006 to 2008. Retired in 2008.
Orestes Destrade DH Home Run title 1990–1992, RBI Title 1990–1991 Played 1993–1994 seasons with Florida Marlins of MLB.
Hiromichi Ishige SS Rookie of the year, Golden Glove 1981–1983, 1985–1988, 1991–1993, MVP 1986 Manager of Orix BlueWave from 2002 to 2003.
Hatsuhiko Tsuji 2B Batting title 1993, Golden Glove 1986, 1988–1994 Played for Yakult Swallows in 1996, retired after '96 season. Current Lions manager.
Tsutomu Ito C Golden Glove 1985–1988, 1990–1992, 1994–1995, 1997–1998 Retired in 2003, Lions manager from 2004 to 2007, Marines manager from 2013 to 2017. Current Chunichi Dragons head coach.
Hisanobu Watanabe P Winning Percentage title 1986, 1988, 1990, ERA Title 1986, Strikeout title 1986, Golden Glove 1990, No-hitter 1996 Played for Yakult Swallows in 1998, retired from NPB after '98 season. Lions manager from 2008 to 2013.
Osamu Higashio P Wins Champion 1975,1983, ERA Title 1983, Strikeout title 1975, MVP 1983, 1987, Golden Glove 1983–1987 Member of Lions through four different team owners (Nishitetsu, Taiheyo Club, Crown Lighter, Seibu). Lions manager from 1995 to 2001.
Terry Whitfield OF Best Nine Award 1981, 1983
Steve Ontiveros 3B OBP 1983, 1984 Best Nine Award 1982, 1983
Taigen Kaku P MVP1991, Golden Glove 1991–1992, No-hitter 1985 Retired in 1996. Taiwan national team manager 2007.
Kimiyasu Kudoh P ERA title 1985,1987,1993,1999, Winning Percentage Title1987,1991,1993,2000, Strikeout title 1996,1999, Golden Glove 1994–1995,2000, MVP 1999, longest NPB career as player (28 years) Belonged to Fukuoka Daiei Hawks from 1994, Yomiuri Giants from 2000, Yokohama BayStars from 2007 to 2009, returned to Lions in 2010. Only active player in "Golden Age" in 2010 season. Manager of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks from 2015 to 2021, winning 5 championships including 4 straight from 2017 to 2020.

Saitama Seibu Lions (2008–)

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In order to reinforce the affiliation between the team and their home region, the Lions added the prefecture name "Saitama" to their team name in 2008. They were Pacific League Champions that year and went on to win the Japan Series. The team logo and uniforms were further modified for the 2009 season, with the team trading in their traditional light-blue colour scheme for a dark blue design similar to that employed during the Nishitetsu Lions era in the 1950s and 1960s. Between 2010 and 2019, the Lions made the Pacific League Climax Series 1st stage 5 times, (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017) but lost to the Chiba Lotte Marines in 2010 and 2013, the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in 2017, and to the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in 2011 and 2012. They made the Final Stage twice in back to back years in 2018 and 2019, but lost to the Hawks on both occasions. In 2020, the team finished in 3rd place, but was unable to make the playoffs. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pacific League removed the First Stage of the playoffs; only the top 2 teams in Pacific League made the playoffs, while Central League removed it entirely, instead opting to send the regular season champion (Yomiuri Giants) straight to the Japan Series. In 2021, the Lions finished in 6th and last place for the first time since 1979 with a 55–70–18 record.

Season-by-season records

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Year Team Name Finish Playoffs
1950 Nishitetsu Clippers 5th, Pacific Did not qualify
1951 Nishitetsu Lions 2nd, Pacific Did not qualify
1952 Nishitetsu Lions 3rd, Pacific Did not qualify
1953 Nishitetsu Lions 4th, Pacific Did not qualify
1954 Nishitetsu Lions 1st, Pacific Lost Japan Series (3–4, Dragons)
1955 Nishitetsu Lions 2nd, Pacific Did not qualify
1956 Nishitetsu Lions 1st, Pacific Won Japan Series (4–2, Giants)
1957 Nishitetsu Lions 1st, Pacific Won Japan Series (4–0, Giants)
1958 Nishitetsu Lions 1st, Pacific Won Japan Series (4–3, Giants)
1959 Nishitetsu Lions 4th, Pacific Did not qualify
1960 Nishitetsu Lions 3rd, Pacific Did not qualify
1961 Nishitetsu Lions 3rd, Pacific Did not qualify
1962 Nishitetsu Lions 3rd, Pacific Did not qualify
1963 Nishitetsu Lions 1st, Pacific Lost Japan Series (3–4, Giants)
1964 Nishitetsu Lions 5th, Pacific Did not qualify
1965 Nishitetsu Lions 3rd, Pacific Did not qualify
1966 Nishitetsu Lions 2nd, Pacific Did not qualify
1967 Nishitetsu Lions 2nd, Pacific Did not qualify
1968 Nishitetsu Lions 5th, Pacific Did not qualify
1969 Nishitetsu Lions 5th, Pacific Did not qualify
1970 Nishitetsu Lions 6th, Pacific Did not qualify
1971 Nishitetsu Lions 6th, Pacific Did not qualify
1972 Nishitetsu Lions 6th, Pacific Did not qualify
1973 Taiheiyo Club Lions 4th, Pacific Did not qualify
1974 Taiheiyo Club Lions 4th, Pacific Did not qualify
1975 Taiheiyo Club Lions 3rd, Pacific Did not qualify
1976 Taiheiyo Club Lions 6th, Pacific Did not qualify
1977 Crown Lighter Lions 6th, Pacific Did not qualify
1978 Crown Lighter Lions 5th, Pacific Did not qualify
1979 Seibu Lions 6th, Pacific Did not qualify
1980 Seibu Lions 4th, Pacific Did not qualify
1981 Seibu Lions 4th, Pacific Did not qualify
1982 Seibu Lions 1st, Pacific Won Japan Series (4–2, Dragons)
1983 Seibu Lions 1st, Pacific Won Japan Series (4–3, Giants)
1984 Seibu Lions 3rd, Pacific Did not qualify
1985 Seibu Lions 1st, Pacific Lost Japan Series (2–4, Tigers)
1986 Seibu Lions 1st, Pacific Won Japan Series (4–3, Carp)
1987 Seibu Lions 1st, Pacific Won Japan Series (4–2, Giants)
1988 Seibu Lions 1st, Pacific Won Japan Series (4–1, Dragons)
1989 Seibu Lions 3rd, Pacific Did not qualify
1990 Seibu Lions 1st, Pacific Won Japan Series (4–0, Giants)
1991 Seibu Lions 1st, Pacific Won Japan Series (4–3, Carp)
1992 Seibu Lions 1st, Pacific Won Japan Series (4–3, Swallows)
1993 Seibu Lions 1st, Pacific Lost Japan Series (3–4, Swallows)
1994 Seibu Lions 1st, Pacific Lost Japan Series (2–4, Giants)
1995 Seibu Lions 3rd, Pacific Did not qualify
1996 Seibu Lions 3rd, Pacific Did not qualify
1997 Seibu Lions 1st, Pacific Lost Japan Series (1–4, Swallows)
1998 Seibu Lions 1st, Pacific Lost Japan Series (2–4, BayStars)
1999 Seibu Lions 2nd, Pacific Did not qualify
2000 Seibu Lions 2nd, Pacific Did not qualify
2001 Seibu Lions 3rd, Pacific Did not qualify
2002 Seibu Lions 1st, Pacific Lost Japan Series (0–4, Giants)
2003 Seibu Lions 2nd, Pacific Did not qualify
2004 Seibu Lions 1st, Pacific Won Japan Series (4–3, Dragons)
2005 Seibu Lions 3rd, Pacific Lost CS First Stage (0–2, Marines)
2006 Seibu Lions 2nd, Pacific Lost CS First Stage (1–2, Hawks)
2007 Seibu Lions 5th, Pacific Did not qualify
2008 Saitama Seibu Lions 1st, Pacific Won Japan Series (4–3, Giants)
2009 Saitama Seibu Lions 4th, Pacific Did not qualify
2010 Saitama Seibu Lions 2nd, Pacific Lost CS First Stage (0–2, Marines)
2011 Saitama Seibu Lions 3rd, Pacific Lost CS Final Stage (0–4, Hawks)
2012 Saitama Seibu Lions 2nd, Pacific Lost CS First Stage (1–2, Hawks)
2013 Saitama Seibu Lions 2nd, Pacific Lost CS First Stage (1–2, Marines)
2014 Saitama Seibu Lions 5th, Pacific Did not qualify
2015 Saitama Seibu Lions 4th, Pacific Did not qualify
2016 Saitama Seibu Lions 4th, Pacific Did not qualify
2017 Saitama Seibu Lions 2nd, Pacific Lost CS First Stage (1–2, Golden Eagles)
2018 Saitama Seibu Lions 1st, Pacific Lost CS Final Stage (2–4, Hawks)
2019 Saitama Seibu Lions 1st, Pacific Lost CS Final Stage (1–4, Hawks)
2020 Saitama Seibu Lions 3rd, Pacific Did not qualify
2021 Saitama Seibu Lions 6th, Pacific Did not qualify
2022 Saitama Seibu Lions 3rd, Pacific Lost CS First Stage (0–2, Hawks)
2023 Saitama Seibu Lions 5th, Pacific Did not qualify
2024 Saitama Seibu Lions 6th, Pacific Did not qualify

Current roster

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Saitama Seibu Lions roster
First squad Second squad

Pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders


Manager

Coaches

Pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders


Manager

Coaches

Third squad
Development Players
Updated October 22, 2024 → All NPB rosters

Managers

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No. Years
in office 		YR Managers G W L T Win% Pacific League
championships 		Japan Series
championships 		Playoff
berths
1 1950 1 Kaname Miyazaki 120 51 67 2 .432
2 1951-1959 9 Osamu Mihara 1,189 680 458 51 .598 4 times
(1954,1956,
1957,1958) 		3 times
(1956,1957,1958)
3 1960-1961 2 Tokuji Kawasaki 276 151 116 9 .566
4 1962-1969 8 Futoshi Nakanishi 1,117 531 541 45 .495 1 (1963)
5 1970-1974 5 Kazuhisa Inao 650 246 370 34 .399
6 1975 1 Shinichi Eto 130 58 62 10 .483
7 1976 0 Leo Durocher — — — — —
8 1976-1977 2 Masaichi Kito 260 93 149 18 .384
9 1978-1981 4 Rikuo Nemoto 520 219 265 36 .452
10 1982-1985 4 Tatsuro Hirooka 520 295 204 21 .591 3 times
(1982,1983,1985) 		2 (1982,1983 1 (1982)
11 1986-1994 9 Masaaki Mori 1,170 673 438 59 .606 8 times
(1986,1987,1988,
1990,1991,1992,
1993,1994) 		6 times
(1986,1987,1988,
1990,1991,1992)
12 1995-2001 7 Osamu Higashio 937 489 425 23 .535 2 (1997,1998)
13 2002-2003 2 Haruki Ihara (1st) 280 167 110 3 .603 1 (2002)
14 2004-2007 4 Tsutomu Itoh 549 287 257 5 .528 1 (2004) 1 (2004) 3 times
(2004,2005,2006)
15 2008-2013 6 Hisanobu Watanabe 864 438 395 31 .526 1 (2008) 1 (2008) 5 times
(2008,2010,2011,
2012,2013)
16 2014 1 Haruki Ihara (2nd) 144 63 77 4 .450
17 2015-2016 2 Norio Tanabe 286 133 145 8 .478
18 2017–2022 6 Hatsuhiko Tsuji 835 432 372 31 .537 2 (2018,2019) 4 (,2017,2018,2019,2022)
19 2023–2024 2 Kazuo Matsui 188 80 107 1 .428
20 2025– 1 Fumiya Nishiguchi .
Totals 71 seasons 17 managers 9,564 4,882 4,313 369 .531 23 times 13 times 12 times
  • Statistics current through the end of the 2023 season.[5]

Former players of note

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Retired number

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Team announced Kazuhisa Inao's No.24 was the first retired number of the Lions on May 1, 2012.

 
 
Kazuhisa
Inao
P
Retired
May 1, 2012

MLB players

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Retired From MLB:

Minor League team

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The Lions farm team plays in the Eastern League. The year of the team's founding is unknown. They first played in the Kansai Farm League in 1952 and joined the Eastern League in 1979.

Further reading

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  • Whiting, Robert. "The Emperor's Team," You Gotta Have Wa (Vintage Departures, 1989), pp. 220–238.

Notes

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  1. ^ Although many fans, team officials, and members of the press consider the mascot to be a variation of Kimba, Tezuka has stated that it is based on Panja (Caesar), the father of Kimba.[citation needed]
  2. ^ The Lions adopted a new mascot for the 2009 season.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ "Authentic Collection | 埼玉西武ライオンズ公式オンラインショップ".
  2. ^ "Rockies acquire infielder Kazuo Matsui and cash considerations from New York Mets in exchange for outfielder Eli Marrero". Newyork.mets.mlb.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-08. Retrieved 2016-08-01.
  3. ^ How Every NPB Team got its Name (feat. The Yakyu Cosmopolitan), retrieved 2022-02-08
  4. ^ "The Veggie Baseball Team," Parade Magazine (April 15, 1984).
  5. ^ "Nippon Professional Baseball 埼玉西武ライオンズ 年度別成績 (1950-2021)". NPB.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved August 20, 2021.
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