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1997 Japan Series
The 1997 Japan Series was the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) championship series for the 1997 season. It was the 48th Japan Series and featured the Pacific League champions, the Seibu Lions, against the Central League champions, the Yakult Swallows. The series is the third time the two teams played each other for the championship, the last two contests being in 1992 and 1993. Played at Seibu Dome and Meiji Jingu Stadium, the Swallows defeated the Lions four games to one in the best-of-seven series to win the franchise's 4th Japan Series title. The Swallows' star catcher Atsuya Furuta was named Most Valuable Player of the series. The series was played between October 18 and October 23, 1997, with home field advantage going to the Pacific League. Summary Matchups Game 1 Game 1 of the series featured a pitching match-up of two strong aces. Seibu's Fumiya Nishiguchi had a career year in 1997 (only his second full season), finishing first in the Pacific League in wins, strike ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yakult Swallows
The Tokyo Yakult Swallows () are a Japanese professional baseball team competing in Nippon Professional Baseball's Central League. Based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, they are one of two professional baseball teams based in Tokyo, the other being the Yomiuri Giants. They have won 8 Central League championships and 6 Japan Series championships. Since 1964, they play their games at Meiji Jingu Stadium. The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, Yakult Honsha. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways (known as Kokutetsu (国鉄) in Japanese) and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper ''Sankei Shimbun'' from 1965 to 1968 and called the Sankei Atoms. Yakult purchased the team in 1970 and renamed it the Yakult Atoms, before renaming it again as the Yakult Swallows in 1974, and then the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in 2006. Kokutetsu and Sankei era (1950–1969) The franchise was established for the first time in 1950 whe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Playoff Format
There are a number of formats used in various levels of competition in sports and games to determine an overall champion. Some of the most common are the ''single elimination'', the ''best-of-'' series, the ''total points series'' more commonly known as ''on aggregate'', and the ''round-robin tournament''. Single elimination A single-elimination ("knockout") playoff pits the participants in one-game matches, with the loser being dropped from the competition. Single-elimination tournaments are often used in individual sports like tennis. In most tennis tournaments, the players are seeded against each other, and the winner of each match continues to the next round, all the way to the final. When a playoff of this type involves the top four teams, it is sometimes known as the Shaughnessy playoff system, after Frank Shaughnessy, who first developed it for the International League of minor league baseball. Variations of the Shaughnessy system also exist, such as in the promotion pl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Futoshi Yamabe
is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw .... References 1971 births Living people Baseball people from Ehime Prefecture Japanese baseball players Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers Yakult Swallows players Tokyo Yakult Swallows players Japanese baseball coaches Nippon Professional Baseball coaches {{Japan-bio-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shinji Mori
Shinji Mori ( ja, 森 慎二, September 12, 1974 – June 28, 2017) was a right-handed pitcher in professional baseball. Career From -, he played for the Seibu Lions in Nippon Professional Baseball. After the 2005 season, he was acquired by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays through the posting system. Originally slated to compete for the Devil Ray's closer job during the MLB season, he tore the labrum in his shoulder and missed the entire season. He was subsequently released by the Devil Rays. Returning to Japan, in 2009 Mori joined the Ishikawa Million Stars of the semi-pro Baseball Challenge League as a pitcher-coach. After retiring from playing, he took over as the manager of the Million Stars in 2010, staying through the 2014 season. He returned to active duty as a player in 2013, and was the Million Stars' player-manager in 2013–2014. On June 25, 2017, Mori was hospitalized in Fukuoka Hospital, and after three days, on June 28, 2017, Mori died of sepsis caused by infection wi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
No-hitter
In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter". In most cases, no-hitters are recorded by a single pitcher who throws a complete game; one thrown by two or more pitchers is a combined no-hitter. A no-hitter is a rare accomplishment for a pitcher or pitching staff—only 318 have been thrown in MLB history since 1876, an average of about two per year. The most recent major league no-hitter by a single pitcher was thrown on May 10, 2022, by Reid Detmers of the Los Angeles Angels against the Tampa Bay Rays. The most recent combined no-hitter was thrown on November 2, 2022, by starter Cristian Javier, and relief pitchers Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly of the Houston Astros against the Phi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sawamura Award
The , commonly known as the Sawamura Award, is an honor bestowed upon the top starting pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball each year. The award was originally established by Japanese magazine "Nekkyū" in 1947 to honor the career of Eiji Sawamura, a power pitcher who enjoyed an illustrious career for the Tokyo Giants before being killed in combat during World War II. It is a special award that is independent of the official ''Most Valuable Pitcher'' award that is presented to one pitcher in each league (Central and Pacific) each year. Overview Selection process One starting pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball is chosen at the end of each season based on the following selection criteria. * Games started: 25 or more * Wins: 15 or more * Complete games: 10 or more * Winning percentage: .600 or higher * Innings pitched: 200 or more * Earned run average (ERA): 2.50 or lower * Strikeouts: 150 or more The selection criteria were established in ; prior to this, a poo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mitsui Golden Glove Award
The 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 experience covering Japanese professional baseball. The trophy is accompanied by prize money. See also * Nippon Professional Baseball#Awards * Baseball awards#Japan *List of Nippon Professional Baseball ERA champions *Major League Baseball Gold Glove Award The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as simply the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in bo ... References Baseball in Japan Mitsui {{Japan-baseball-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Best Nine Award
The Best Nine Award is awarded annually to the best player at each position in both the Central League and Pacific League of Japanese professional baseball as determined by a pool of journalists. History While the Best Nine Award was first presented to players following the season, it was not until (after World War II) that it became an annual award. After the Japanese Baseball League was divided into Central and Pacific leagues in 1950, the award was presented to nine players from each league. Following the Pacific League's adoption of the DH rule in , ten players (including the best designated hitter) have been chosen for the Best Nine Award in the Pacific League alone each year. Selection process Journalists vote on the best pitcher, catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, shortstop, and three outfielders (typically chosen on merit of best offensive numbers, with the exception of pitchers) in each of the two leagues. As is the case with the Silver Slugger Aw ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jim Tatum (baseball)
James Ray Tatum (born October 9, 1967) is an American former professional baseball utility player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado Rockies, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres, and New York Mets. Tatum also played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yakult Swallows and in the KBO League for the LG Twins. Career Tatum was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the third round of the 1985 Major League Baseball draft. He was released by the Padres organization in 1988, and signed with the Cleveland Indians organization in 1989. After being released by the Indians, Tatum signed with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1990, and made his MLB debut with them in 1992, appearing in five games. In November 1992, Tatum was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 1992 Major League Baseball expansion draft. More than half of the games he would play in MLB came with the Rockies in 1993, where he hit .204 with one home run and 12 runs batted in (RBI) i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fumiya Nishiguchi
, (born September 26, 1972) is a Japanese baseball player. He is a right-handed pitcher in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball for the Saitama Seibu Lions The 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, wh .... Career statistics ''Bold indicates league leader; statistics current as of December 25, 2013'' External links * 1972 births Living people People from Wakayama (city) Japanese baseball players Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers Seibu Lions players Saitama Seibu Lions players Nippon Professional Baseball MVP Award winners Japanese baseball coaches Nippon Professional Baseball coaches {{japan-baseball-pitcher-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kazuhisa Ishii
Kazuhisa Ishii (石井 一久 ''Ishii Kazuhisa'') (born September 9, 1973) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher and current manager and general manager for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He played in NPB for the Yakult Swallows and Saitama Seibu Lions and in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets. Career Ishii was selected in the first round of the Japanese amateur draft by the Yakult Swallows. He made his debut in the Central League on June 9, at the age of 18. He was a member of the Japan Series winning team that season, a feat accomplished a total of five times during his career with the Swallows. During his ten years playing in Japan, he amassed a record of 78–46 with a 3.38 ERA and 1,277 strikeouts in 1,184 innings pitched. On September 2, , he threw a no-hitter against the Yokohama BayStars. Ishii was signed as a free agent by the Los Angeles Dodgers in after the Dodgers posted t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saitama Prefecture
is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Saitama Prefecture has a population of 7,338,536 (1 January 2020) and has a geographic area of 3,797 km2 (1,466 sq mi). Saitama Prefecture borders Tochigi Prefecture and Gunma Prefecture to the north, Nagano Prefecture to the west, Yamanashi Prefecture to the southwest, Tokyo to the south, Chiba Prefecture to the southeast, and Ibaraki Prefecture to the northeast. Saitama is the capital and largest city of Saitama Prefecture, with other major cities including Kawaguchi, Kawagoe, and Tokorozawa. Saitama Prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, the most populous metropolitan area in the world, and many of its cities are described as bedroom communities and suburbs of Tokyo with many residents commuting into the city each day. History According to ''Sendai Kuji Hongi'' (''Kujiki''), Chichibu was one of 137 provinces during the reign of Emperor Sujin. Chichibu Province was in western Saitama. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
