Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes
| Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes (大阪近鉄バファローズ Ōsaka Kintetsu Bafarōzu?) | |
|---|---|
| League | Pacific League |
| Location | Osaka |
| Ballpark | Kyocera Dome Osaka |
| Year founded | 1949 |
| Nickname(s) | Kintetsu (近鉄), Buffaloes (バファローズ), Mougyu (猛牛) means violent buffalo, Ushi (牛,丑) means cow. |
| League championships | 1979, 1980, 1989, 2001 |
| Japan Series championships | None |
| Former name(s) |
Kintetsu Pearls (1949-1958) Kintetsu Buffalo (1959-1961) Kintetsu Buffaloes (1962-1998) Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes (1999-2004) |
| Colors | Red, Navy Blue, White |
The Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes (大阪近鉄バファローズ Ōsaka Kintetsu Bafarōzu?) was a Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) team based in Osaka, Japan, which was in the Pacific League. In 2005 the team was merged with the Orix BlueWave to become the team now known as the Orix Buffaloes. The team played in Fujiidera Stadium, and later in Osaka Dome.
Although the team won four Pacific League championships, they lost all four Japan Series in which they played. The team's batting lineup was known as Itemae Dasen ().
A stylized buffalo's head with angry-looking red eyes (designed by Okamoto Taro), or "Buffaloes" in red script, outlined with white.
The team was founded in 1949 and began play in 1950 in the newly organized NPB. Owned by Kinki Nippon Railway Co. (later known as Kintetsu Railway), the franchise was known as the Kintetsu Pearls from 1950-1958, Kintetsu Buffalo from 1959-1961, the Kintetsu Buffaloes from 1962-1998, and the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes from 1999-2004.
The Kintetsu Buffalo were among the first Japanese teams to sign American players. They signed former major league pitcher Glenn Mickens and catcher Ron Bottler for the 1959 season. Mickens had played for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1953 and Bottler had been a career minor league catcher in the United States. Mickens played for five years in Japan, compiling a record of 45–53 with a 2.54 ERA. Bottler played for the Buffalo for three seasons, gradually converting from catcher to starting pitcher, where he had more success.
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