Saitama Seibu Lions
| Saitama Seibu Lions | |
|---|---|
| 埼玉西武ライオンズ | |
| Information | |
| League | Nippon Professional Baseball
|
| Location | Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan |
| Ballpark | Belluna Dome |
| Year founded | November 26, 1949 |
| Nickname(s) | Shishi (獅子, lion) |
| PL pennants | 23 (1954, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1963, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2018, 2019) |
| Japan Series championships | 13 (1956, 1957, 1958, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2004, 2008) |
| Former name(s) |
|
| Former ballparks |
|
| Colors | Legend Blue, Lions Blue, Black, Red, White[1] |
| Mascot | Leo and Lina |
| Playoff berths | 13 (1982, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022) |
| Retired numbers |
|
| Ownership | Takashi Goto |
| Management | Seibu Railway |
| Manager | Fumiya Nishiguchi |
The Saitama SEIBU Lions (Japanese: 埼玉西武ライオンズ, *Saitama Seibu Raionzu*) are a Japanese professional baseball team in the Pacific League of Nippon Professional Baseball. Since 1978, the club has been owned by Prince Hotels, a subsidiary of the Seibu Railway transport group, and plays its home games at the Seibu Dome in Tokorozawa, Saitama. The team’s mascot is inspired by Leo, the hero of Osamu Tezuka’s manga Kimba the White Lion.[2]
History
The club was founded in 1950 during the reorganization of Japanese professional baseball into two separate leagues. A founding member of the Pacific League, it was originally known as the Nishitetsu Clippers and based in Fukuoka, owned by the Nishi-Nippon Railroad (nicknamed Nishitetsu). The team finished sixth in its inaugural season, then merged with the Nishi-Nippon Pirates to become the Nishitetsu Lions in 1951. Over the next decade, the Lions won four Pacific League titles and three consecutive Japan Series championships against the Yomiuri Giants.
The 1960s saw only one league title, and after finishing sixth three years in a row from 1970 to 1972, the club was sold to Fukuoka Baseball Corporation in November 1972. The naming rights were then sold to Taiheiyo Club, the owner of a Fukuoka golf course, becoming the Taiheiyo Club Lions, but the team never finished higher than third place. After the 1976 season the naming rights passed to Crown Gas Lighter, and following two disappointing seasons, the franchise was sold to a Seibu Group subsidiary at the end of 1978.
Relocating to Tokorozawa, the team adopted its current name upon the 1979 season. Since then, the Lions have captured 16 Pacific League pennants and ten Japan Series titles.
Season-by-season record
Related pages
- ↑ "Authentic Collection | 埼玉西武ライオンズ公式オンラインショップ".
- ↑ "Rockies acquire infielder Kazuo Matsui and cash considerations from New York Mets in exchange for outfielder Eli Marrero". Newyork.mets.mlb.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-08. Retrieved 2016-08-01.