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The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (福岡ソフトバンクホークス) is a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by SoftBank Corporation.
It is formerly known as Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarter was moved to Fukuoka. The Daiei Hawks won the Pacific League championship in 1999, 2000 and 2003 and won the Japan Series in 1999 and 2003.
- Founded: 1938
- Formerly known as: Nankai (1938-1944), Kinki Nihon (1944), Kinki Great Ring (1946-1947), Nankai Hawks (1947-1987), Daiei Hawks(1988), Fukuoka Daiei Hawks (1989-2004), Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (2005-).
- Home ballpark: Fukuoka Yahoo! Japan Dome
- League championships won (15): 1946, 1948, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1959, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1973, 1999, 2000, 2003
- Japan Series championships won (4): 1959, 1964, 1999, 2003
News
2003
Daiei Inc of Japan has a 60% ownership stake in the team. Daiei Inc., under financial pressure, agreed to sell the team as well as the Fukuoka Dome and the Sea Hawk Hotel. It is likely the team will lose the name "Daiei" after the sale, expected in 2004.
2004
In August, Daiei's was in discussion with its primary lenders, including UFJ Bank, to avoid having to sell the Daiei Hawks.
Players of note
Current stars
- Nagisa Arakaki (P)
- Lindsay Gulin (P)
- Kenji Jojima (C)
- Munenori Kawasaki (SS)
- Nobuhiko Matsunaka (1B)
- Kazumi Saitou (P)
- Tsuyoshi Wada (P)
- Julio Zuleta (DH)
Former players
Nankai Hawks
- Tony Bernazard
- Katsuya Nomura
- Joe Stanka
- Tadashi Sugiura
Retired numbers
none
External link
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