Baseball is a popular sport in Japan, and two of the most well-known teams in the country are the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks Chiba Lotte Marines. Both teams have a long and successful history in Japanese baseball, and their rivalry is one of the most intense in the sport. In this blog, we will explore the history of both teams, their achievements, and their rivalry.
History of Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The Fukuoka Softbank Hawks Chiba Lotte Marines, formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks, was founded in 1938 and are based in Fukuoka, Japan. The team is owned by the SoftBank Group and plays its home games at the Fukuoka Dome.
The Hawks have won the Japan Series (the championship series of Nippon Professional Baseball) on 10 occasions, making them one of the most successful teams in Japanese baseball history.
The Hawks have had a number of successful seasons in recent years, winning the Japan Series in 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018. The team is known for its strong pitching staff, which includes several standout players, such as Kodai Senga, who was named the 2020 Pacific League MVP.
History of Chiba Lotte Marines
The Chiba Lotte Marines were founded in 1950 and are based in Chiba, Japan. The team is owned by the Lotte Corporation and plays its home games at the ZOZO Marine Stadium. The Marines have won the Japan Series on three occasions, with their most recent victory coming in 2010.
The Marines are known for their enthusiastic fanbase and their “fighting spirit” on the field. The team has produced a number of talented players over the years, including Ichiro Suzuki, who played for the Marines from 1992 to 2000 before moving on to Major League Baseball in the United States.
The rivalry between Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and Chiba Lotte Marines
The rivalry between the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks Chiba Lotte Marines is one of the most intense in Japanese baseball. The two teams have faced each other in the Japan Series on several occasions, with the Hawks winning in 1999 and 2003 and the Marines winning in 2005.
The rivalry is fueled by the passionate fanbases of both teams and their proximity to one another. Fukuoka and Chiba are both located on the island of Honshu and are only a few hundred kilometers apart. This has led to fierce competition for fans and media attention between the two teams.
Recent Performance
In recent years, both the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and the Chiba Lotte Marines have performed well on the field. The Hawks have won the Japan Series five times since 2011, while the Marines have made it to the playoffs in several of those years.
In the 2020 season, the Hawks finished in first place in the Pacific League with a record of 75-62-6. They went on to defeat the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in the Climax Series to earn a spot in the Japan Series, where they faced off against the Yomiuri Giants.
The Hawks won the series in six games, securing their fifth championship in nine years. The Marines, on the other hand, finished in fifth place in the Pacific League with a record of 60-76-8. For the second consecutive year, they were unable to advance to the playoffs.
Conclusion
The Fukuoka Softbank Hawks Chiba Lotte Marines are two of the most storied teams in Japanese baseball. Both teams have a passionate fanbase and a rich history of success on the field. The rivalry between the two teams is intense and has produced some memorable moments in Japanese baseball history. Despite their different fortunes in recent years, both teams remain among the most popular and successful in the sport. The Hawks’ dominance in recent years has only intensified the rivalry between the two teams, and fans can look forward to many more exciting matchups between these two great teams in the future.