| Saitama Seibu Lions | |||
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| Established 1950 | |||
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| Colors | Blue, White
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| League titles | |||
| Japan Series titles (13) | 1956, 1957, 1958, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2004, 2008 | ||
| PL Pennants (21) | 1954, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1963, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2008 | ||
| Owner(s): Seibu Railway | |||
| Manager: Hisanobu Watanabe | |||
| General Manager: | |||
| 2011 Saitama Seibu Lions season | |||
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 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. 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 series by Osamu Tezuka.[1][2] In 2004, former Seibu Lions player Kazuo Matsui became the first Japanese infielder to play in Major League Baseball.[3]
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In 1950, the team became a founding member of the Pacific League. It was then owned by Nishi-Nippon Railroad, which was based in Fukuoka. The team finished sixth that year, and at the end of the season was merged with the Nishi-Nippon Pirates to form the Nishitetsu Lions.
The Nishitetsu Lions were one of a dominant team in the Pacific League during the 1950s, winning four pennants three straight Japan Series against the Yomiuri Giants behind famed manager Osamu Mihara. The team struggled through the following decade and did witness much success on the field. In November 1972 was sold to the Fukuoka Baseball Corporation, also a part of Nishi-Nippon Railroad. Following the sale, the team was renamed the Taiheiyo Club Lions. The Nishitetsu Lions called Heiwadai Stadium home for their entire existence.
Nishi-Nippon Railroad, founded by Nagayoshi Nakamura, owner of Lotte and the Orions, sold the team's sponsorship rights to Taiheiyo Club, a golf course and resort developer. Through the 1970s, the Lions finished no higher than third.
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. At the end of the 1978 season, the team was sold to Kokudo Keikaku (later Kokudo), and then merged into Prince Hotels.
Following the sale of the Crown Lighter Lions and their merging into Price Hotels, the team was renamed the Seibu Lions and relocated to a new ballpark in Tokorozawa, Saitama.
The Lions finished in last place following the 1979 season. 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 Koichi Tabuchi. The club won two-year straight Japan Series in 1982 and 1983, and won the championship again in 1985.
Following the 1986 season, the club replaced Hirooka with Masaaki Mori, who was able to sustain the team's prolonged success. Mori won 8 league championship, 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 Kouji Akiyama, Kazuhiro Kiyohara and Orestes Destrade. Their defense also benefited from the services of skilled players such as Hiromichi Ishige, 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 Testuya Shiozaki.
| Name | position | Title and accomplishment | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kouji Akiyama | CF | Home Run Title 1987, Stolen Base Title 1990, Golden Glove 1987–1996, 1999 437 HR and 303 SB in career |
Belonged to Daiei Hawks from 1994 to 2002. Current Hawks manager. |
| 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 | 3B | Rookie of the year, Golden Glove 1981–1983, 1985–1988, 1991–1993), MVP 1986 | Manager of Orix BlueWave for a short time in 2003. |
| Hatsuhiko Tsuji | 2B | Batting Title 1993, Golden Glove 1986, 1988–1994 | Played for Yakult Swallows in 1996, retired after '96 season. |
| Tsutomu Ito | C | Golden Glove 1985–1988, 1990–1992, 1994–1995, 1997–1998 | Retired in 2003, Lions manager from 2004 to 2007. |
| 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. Current manager of Lions. |
| 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 1995–2001. |
| Taigen Kaku | P | MVP1991, Golden Grove 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 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. |
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 when 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.
| Year | Team Name | Place |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Nishitetsu Clippers | 5th |
| 1951 | Nishitetsu Lions | 2nd |
| 1952 | Nishitetsu Lions | 3rd |
| 1953 | Nishitetsu Lions | 4th |
| 1954 | Nishitetsu Lions | 1st (lost Japan Series) |
| 1955 | Nishitetsu Lions | 2nd |
| 1956 | Nishitetsu Lions | 1st (Japan Series Winner) |
| 1957 | Nishitetsu Lions | 1st (Japan Series Winner) |
| 1958 | Nishitetsu Lions | 1st (Japan Series Winner) |
| 1959 | Nishitetsu Lions | 4th |
| 1960 | Nishitetsu Lions | 3rd |
| 1961 | Nishitetsu Lions | 3rd |
| 1962 | Nishitetsu Lions | 3rd |
| 1963 | Nishitetsu Lions | 1st (lost Japan Series) |
| 1964 | Nishitetsu Lions | 5th |
| 1965 | Nishitetsu Lions | 3rd |
| 1966 | Nishitetsu Lions | 2nd |
| 1967 | Nishitetsu Lions | 2nd |
| 1968 | Nishitetsu Lions | 5th |
| 1969 | Nishitetsu Lions | 5th |
| 1970 | Nishitetsu Lions | 6th |
| 1971 | Nishitetsu Lions | 6th |
| 1972 | Nishitetsu Lions | 6th |
| 1973 | Taiheiyo Club Lions | 4th |
| 1974 | Taiheiyo Club Lions | 4th |
| 1975 | Taiheiyo Club Lions | 3rd |
| 1976 | Taiheiyo Club Lions | 6th |
| 1977 | Crown Lighter Lions | 6th |
| 1978 | Crown Lighter Lions | 5th |
| 1979 | Seibu Lions | 6th |
| 1980 | Seibu Lions | 4th |
| 1981 | Seibu Lions | 4th |
| 1982 | Seibu Lions | 1st (Japan Series Winner) |
| 1983 | Seibu Lions | 1st (Japan Series Winner) |
| 1984 | Seibu Lions | 3rd |
| 1985 | Seibu Lions | 1st (lost Japan Series) |
| 1986 | Seibu Lions | 1st (Japan Series Winner) |
| 1987 | Seibu Lions | 1st (Japan Series Winner) |
| 1988 | Seibu Lions | 1st (Japan Series Winner) |
| 1989 | Seibu Lions | 3rd |
| 1990 | Seibu Lions | 1st (Japan Series Winner) |
| 1991 | Seibu Lions | 1st (Japan Series Winner) |
| 1992 | Seibu Lions | 1st (Japan Series Winner) |
| 1993 | Seibu Lions | 1st (lost Japan Series) |
| 1994 | Seibu Lions | 1st (lost Japan Series) |
| 1995 | Seibu Lions | 3rd |
| 1996 | Seibu Lions | 3rd |
| 1997 | Seibu Lions | 1st (lost Japan Series) |
| 1998 | Seibu Lions | 1st (lost Japan Series) |
| 1999 | Seibu Lions | 2nd |
| 2000 | Seibu Lions | 2nd |
| 2001 | Seibu Lions | 3rd |
| 2002 | Seibu Lions | 1st (lost Japan Series) |
| 2003 | Seibu Lions | 2nd |
| 2004 | Seibu Lions | 1st (Japan Series Winner) |
| 2005 | Seibu Lions | 3rd |
| 2006 | Seibu Lions | 2nd |
| 2007 | Seibu Lions | 5th |
| 2008 | Saitama Seibu Lions | 1st (Japan Series Winner) |
| 2009 | Saitama Seibu Lions | 4th |
| 2010 | Saitama Seibu Lions | 2nd |
| 2011 | Saitama Seibu Lions | 3rd |
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