Nishitetsu Lions
| Saitama Seibu Lions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| League |
Nippon Professional Baseball (1950–present)
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| Ballpark | Seibu Prince Dome (1979–present) | ||||
| Year established | 1950 | ||||
| Nickname(s) | Shishi (獅子?, lion) | ||||
| Pacific League pennants | 21 (1954, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1963, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2008) | ||||
| Japan Series championships | 13 (1956, 1957, 1958, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2004, 2008) | ||||
| Former name(s) |
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| Former ballparks | Heiwadai Stadium (1950–1978) | ||||
| Colors | Blue, White, Red |
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| Ownership | Seibu Railway | ||||
| Manager | Hatsuhiko Tsuji | ||||
Nippon Professional Baseball (1950–present)
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. 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. In 2004, former Seibu Lions player Kazuo Matsui became the first Japanese infielder to play in Major League Baseball.
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.
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