Rivalries?
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Rivalries?
Hi! I apologise if this question has been asked before, but I'd like to know, what the big rivalries are there in the NPB? I know about the Hanshin-Yomiuri rivalry, but I'd love to hear about others.
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Re: Rivalries?
[ Author: Guest | Posted: Jul 2, 2011 9:25 AM
]
Giants vs, everyone else.
Re: Rivalries?
[ Author: westbaystars | Posted: Jul 2, 2011 9:34 AM
| YBS Fan
]
I'm afraid you answered your own question. There is no rivalry like the Tokyo vs. Osaka rivalry that has been going on for hundreds of years, the baseball diamond being the battle field for the last 75 years.
If you ask a Chunichi fan who their rival is, she'll answer, "the Giants." If you ask a Swallows fan who their rival is, he'll answer "Yomiuri" (or "Gomiuri" as the Tsubame-gundan calls them). To the fans of these other teams, such a rivalry is responsible for an extra drive when the Giants come in. But the feeling of rivalry is not mutual. Not like it is between the Tigers and Giants.
If you ask a Chunichi fan who their rival is, she'll answer, "the Giants." If you ask a Swallows fan who their rival is, he'll answer "Yomiuri" (or "Gomiuri" as the Tsubame-gundan calls them). To the fans of these other teams, such a rivalry is responsible for an extra drive when the Giants come in. But the feeling of rivalry is not mutual. Not like it is between the Tigers and Giants.
Re: Rivalries?
[ Author: Guest | Posted: Jul 2, 2011 10:02 AM
]
You should stick Yokohama's name (Taiyo) in there if only because of Masaji Hiramatsu. He has the second most wins (51 out of 201) against the Giants. Kaneda has the most (67), but he has more loses unlike Hiramatsu.
Re: Rivalries?
[ Author: fighterfred | Posted: Jul 6, 2011 9:16 PM
]
Ah, I thought as much! Although I am slightly surprised there are no significant Pacific League rivalries. Thanks a lot for your answers.
Re: Rivalries?
[ Author: westbaystars | Posted: Jul 11, 2011 1:30 PM
| YBS Fan
]
Before the leagues were split, the Hankyu Braves (--> Orix Braves --> Orix BlueWave --> Orix Buffaloes) and Nankai Hawks (--> Daiei Hawks --> SoftBank Hawks) were also huge rivals with both Hanshin (same region) and the Giants.
I don't have enough historical knowledge to say if Hankyu and Nankai turned into a regional rivalry in Kansai until Daiei moved the Hawks to Fukuoka. But both teams met the Giants in the post season numerous times, and such post-season rivalries were very strong through to the early to mid-1980s.
I don't have enough historical knowledge to say if Hankyu and Nankai turned into a regional rivalry in Kansai until Daiei moved the Hawks to Fukuoka. But both teams met the Giants in the post season numerous times, and such post-season rivalries were very strong through to the early to mid-1980s.
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