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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. As a company, it is a subsidiary of Prince Hotels, belonging to Seibu Group. Recently, the team had stood on shaky financial ground, until the Boston Red Sox signed Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Lions got a 6 billion Japanese yen (about USD 51.11 million) posting fee. Between 1978 to 2008, the team logo and mascot is based on the adult Kimba the White Lion, a famous classic 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.
[edit] Franchise history[edit] Nishitetsu Clippers (1950)In 1950, the team became a founding member of the Pacific League, and was owned by Nishi-Nippon Railroad based in Fukuoka. The team finished sixth that year, and at the end of the season the team was merged with the Nishi-Nippon Pirates to form the Nishitetsu Lions. [edit] Nishitetsu Lions (1951-1972)In 1951, the Nishi-Nippon Pirates and Nishitetsu Clippers merged to form the Nishitetsu Lions. They were one of the top Pacific League teams of the decade, winning four pennants and winning three straight Japan Series against the Yomiuri Giants. Osamu Mihara managed the team throughout their 1950s success period. The team was not as successful in the following decade and in 1973 was sold and became the Taiheiyo Club Lions. The Nishitetsu Lions called Heiwadai Stadium home for their entire existence. [edit] Taiheiyo Club Lions (1973-1976)In November, 1972, the Nishitetsu Lions were bought by the Fukuoka Baseball Corporation from Nishi-Nippon Railroad. The company was founded by Nagayoshi Nakamura, owner of the Lotte and the Orions. The team's sponsorship rights were then sold to Taiheiyo Club, a golf course and resort developer, and the team was renamed. The team remained as the Taiheiyo Club Lions until after the 1976 season. Through the course of the 1970s, the Lions finished no higher than third. [edit] Crown Lighter Lions (1977-1978)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, then merged into Prince Hotels), a Seibu Railway Group company. [edit] Seibu Lions (1979-2007)The Crown Lighter Lions were sold to Seibu Group in 1978, and since then have used the name Seibu Lions, and relocated to a new ballpark in Tokorozawa, Saitama. [edit] The "Golden Age" of Seibu Lions (1982–1994)Seibu Lions started their history in the last place in 1979. But with new manager Tatsuro Hirooka and star players such as Osamu Higashio and Koichi Tabuchi, they started their "Golden Age" with two-year straight Japan Series winning in 1982-1983 and 1985 league champion. In the years with next manager Masaaki Mori, Lions had neary dominated the Japanese professional baseball scene over ten years with devastating batters and pitchers. Lions had various type of batters – sluggers such as Kouji Akiyama, Kazuhiro Kiyohara and Orestes Destrade, skilled players such as Hiromichi Ishige, Hatsuhiko Tsuji, and smart catcher Tsutomu Ito. And they also had great pitchers – starting pitchers: "The Oriental Express" Taigen Kaku, Kimiyasu Kudo, Hisanobu Watanabe, bullpen pitchers: Yoshitaka Katori, Testuya Shiozaki. Mori won 8 league championship (1986-1988, 1990-1994) and six Japan Series championships (1986-1988, 1990-1992) in his nine-year managing career. Seibu Lions was called "Invincible Seibu" because of their accomplishments in those days. [edit] Stars in their "Golden Age"
[edit] Saitama Seibu Lions (2008-)In order to reinforce relationship with their hometown, the Lions added their region (prefecture) name "Saitama" to their team name. They won the Pacific League Champion as well as the Japan Series in the same year. They changed their team logo, as well as uniform in the following season. They gave up their traditional light-blue colour scheme, but used a dark blue which similar to the Nishitetsu Lions' design. [edit] Season-by-season records
[edit] Current roster(2008)[edit] Pitcher
[edit] Catcher
[edit] Infielder
[edit] Outfielder
[edit] Coaches/Other[edit] Manager
[edit] Coaches
[edit] Managers
[edit] Former players of note
[edit] Honored numbers
[edit] External links
[edit] Notes and references
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