40:
307:
Late in the 1940 season, the Japan
Baseball League outlawed English nicknames (due to rising tensions with the West). Owner Tamura refused to change the team's name, insisting that "Lion" is Japanese (In actuality, he wanted to honor the team's sponsorship contract with the Lion Corporation.) The
459:
After a mediocre year in 1951, they lost 84 games in 1952. It was decided that any
Central League teams ending the season with a winning percentage below .300 would be disbanded or merged with other teams. The Robins fell into this category, and were merged with the
409:
Starffin left after the 1947 season, and none of the name variations helped improve the team's play. The JBL reorganized after the 1949 season; the franchise ended its
Japanese Baseball League run with a losing season every single year except 1943.
1150:
1140:
406:
for "Taiyo" (太陽) has connotations of the sun, and for a brief confusing period the team featured the words "Suns" on its road uniforms and "Robins" on its home uniforms.
400:. Still owned by Komajiro Tamura, "Taiyo" came from Tamura's fabric store Taiyo Rayon, and "Robins" from Tamura's personal nickname, "Koma" ("robins" in Japanese). The
1145:
439:. Amazingly, that year the team won 46 more games than the year before, totaling 98 wins and coming in first in their division. Led by league MVP
377:, as well as some other famous players. These signings led to a serious conflict, and Pacific was forced to forfeit four games that season.
385:
443:
and his 51 home runs and still-league record 163 RBI, as well as Sanada's 39 victories, the Robins played in the inaugural
424:
218:
70:
55:
1113:
342:
After the resumption of the
Japanese Baseball League in 1946 (after World War II), the team changed its name to
1135:
256:
222:
203:
123:
1114:"Japan's First Black Baseball Player: Eleven Years Before Jackie Robinson, Tokyo Signed a Black Ace Pitcher,"
396:
English nicknames returned to
Japanese baseball after the 1946 season, and the team changed its name to the
471:
540:
530:
518:
466:
359:
278:
546:
512:
384:(later known as Shigeo Sanada), who eventually became a four-time 20-game-winner and a member of the
355:
261:
159:
564:
558:
180:
506:
500:
534:
524:
484:
214:
194:
301:
266:
134:
448:
374:
351:
297:
274:
164:
39:
568:
552:
496:
490:
428:
370:
175:
60:
1129:
440:
326:
292:
On August 31, midway through the 1937 fall season, the team changed its name to the
461:
444:
366:
309:
270:
226:
358:, which signed many of Asahi's former players, as well as Asahi's former manager
381:
380:
One homegrown player who rose to prominence was pitcher and part-time infielder
284:
The worst team in the league its first year, the club improved in spring 1937.
308:
team completed the season as Lion, finishing in last place, 50 games behind
17:
432:
225:(NPB's predecessor) and existed from 1936–1953, when it merged with the
334:. In 1943 the team had its first winning season, finishing at 41-36-7.
402:
321:
230:
470:
in
January 1953. The resulting franchise is now known as the
208:
993:
259:
season, with ownership by the Tokyo daily newspaper
171:
155:
140:
130:
119:
103:
95:
77:
66:
51:
46:
32:
575:Japanese Baseball League season-by-season records
365:To fill out its roster, Pacific signed long-time
265:. The team made history that year by signing an
229:. Originally based in Tokyo, the club moved to
8:
423:In 1950, when the JBL reorganized to become
1151:Sports clubs and teams in Kyoto Prefecture
1141:Defunct Nippon Professional Baseball teams
996:
578:
38:
29:
1105:
354:started another franchise that season,
221:(NPB). The franchise originated in the
431:. A share of the team was sold to the
330:; from 1941 to 1944 it was called the
320:In 1941 the team moved from Tokyo to
7:
324:and acquiring new sponsorship from
1146:Baseball teams established in 1936
350:— "peace"). Meanwhile, team owner
25:
111:Asahi Baseball Club (1941–1944)
1119:"Culture Club" (Oct. 7, 2014).
386:Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame
109:Lion Baseball Club (1937–1940)
1:
65:
455:Merger with the Taiyo Whales
447:, ultimately falling to the
425:Nippon Professional Baseball
414:Nippon Professional Baseball
219:Nippon Professional Baseball
113:Pacific Baseball Club (1946)
71:Shimonoseki Baseball Stadium
56:Nippon Professional Baseball
209:
83:; 88 years ago
1167:
427:, the Robins joined NPB's
1028:
921:
800:
682:
610:
198:
37:
1018:Central League Standings
296:when it was acquired by
257:Japanese Baseball League
251:The club was founded as
242:Japanese Baseball League
223:Japanese Baseball League
124:Japanese Baseball League
115:Taiyō Robins (1947–1949)
178:(1936–1938, 1950, 1952)
472:Yokohama DeNA BayStars
300:, with sponsorship by
96:Division championships
467:Taiyo Shochiku Robins
344:Pacific Baseball Club
279:Major League Baseball
144:dark olive green, red
433:Shochiku Corporation
346:(popularly known as
217:team that played in
1015:Win/Loss Percentage
597:Win/Loss Percentage
332:Asahi Baseball Club
541:Nobuyoshi Hasegawa
535:Sadayoshi Fujimoto
531:Michinori Tubouchi
525:Sadayoshi Fujimoto
519:Michinori Tubouchi
489:1936 (fall)–1937:
435:and it became the
360:Michinori Tubouchi
294:Lion Baseball Club
273:, 11 years before
1097:
1096:
990:
989:
237:Franchise history
215:Japanese baseball
207:
187:
186:
16:(Redirected from
1158:
1120:
1112:Thomas, Dexter.
1110:
997:
579:
547:Shuichi Ishimoto
451:, 4 games to 2.
267:African-American
255:before the 1936
212:
210:Shōchiku robinsu
202:
200:
151:
148:
135:Kinugasa Stadium
131:Former ballparks
120:Former league(s)
107:Dai Tokyo (1936)
91:
89:
84:
42:
30:
21:
1166:
1165:
1161:
1160:
1159:
1157:
1156:
1155:
1136:Shochiku Robins
1126:
1125:
1124:
1123:
1111:
1107:
1102:
1029:Shochiku Robins
995:
577:
513:Aiichi Takeuchi
483:1936 (spring):
480:
457:
449:Mainichi Orions
437:Shochiku Robins
421:
419:Shochiku Robins
416:
394:
375:Victor Starffin
352:Komajiro Tamura
340:
318:
302:Lion Toothpaste
298:Komajiro Tamura
290:
281:color barrier.
275:Jackie Robinson
262:Kokumin Shimbun
249:
244:
239:
191:Shochiku Robins
179:
165:Komajiro Tamura
163:
160:Kokumin Shimbun
149:
146:
145:
114:
112:
110:
108:
87:
85:
82:
58:
33:Shochiku Robins
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1164:
1162:
1154:
1153:
1148:
1143:
1138:
1128:
1127:
1122:
1121:
1104:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1095:
1094:
1091:
1088:
1085:
1082:
1079:
1076:
1072:
1071:
1068:
1065:
1062:
1059:
1056:
1053:
1049:
1048:
1045:
1042:
1039:
1036:
1033:
1030:
1027:
1023:
1022:
1019:
1016:
1013:
1010:
1007:
1004:
1001:
994:
991:
988:
987:
984:
981:
978:
975:
972:
969:
965:
964:
961:
958:
955:
952:
949:
946:
942:
941:
938:
935:
932:
929:
926:
923:
920:
916:
915:
912:
909:
906:
903:
900:
897:
894:
890:
889:
886:
883:
880:
877:
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871:
867:
866:
863:
860:
857:
854:
851:
848:
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843:
840:
837:
834:
831:
828:
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821:
820:
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814:
811:
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802:
799:
795:
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791:
788:
785:
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779:
776:
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771:
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762:
759:
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753:
749:
748:
745:
742:
739:
736:
733:
730:
726:
725:
722:
719:
716:
713:
710:
707:
703:
702:
699:
696:
693:
690:
687:
684:
681:
677:
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673:
670:
667:
664:
661:
658:
654:
653:
650:
647:
644:
641:
638:
635:
631:
630:
627:
624:
621:
618:
615:
612:
609:
605:
604:
601:
598:
595:
592:
589:
586:
583:
576:
573:
572:
571:
569:Tokuro Konishi
565:Kyouichi Nitta
561:
559:Kyouichi Nitta
555:
553:Tokuro Konishi
549:
543:
537:
527:
521:
515:
509:
503:
497:Tokuro Konishi
493:
491:Tokuro Konishi
487:
479:
476:
464:to become the
456:
453:
429:Central League
420:
417:
415:
412:
393:
390:
371:Yomiuri Giants
339:
336:
317:
314:
289:
286:
248:
245:
243:
240:
238:
235:
185:
184:
181:Kyouichi Nitta
176:Tokuro Konishi
173:
169:
168:
157:
153:
152:
142:
138:
137:
132:
128:
127:
121:
117:
116:
105:
104:Former name(s)
101:
100:
97:
93:
92:
79:
75:
74:
68:
64:
63:
61:Central League
53:
49:
48:
44:
43:
35:
34:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1163:
1152:
1149:
1147:
1144:
1142:
1139:
1137:
1134:
1133:
1131:
1118:
1115:
1109:
1106:
1099:
1092:
1089:
1086:
1083:
1080:
1077:
1074:
1073:
1069:
1066:
1063:
1060:
1057:
1054:
1051:
1050:
1046:
1043:
1040:
1037:
1034:
1031:
1025:
1024:
1021:Games behind
1020:
1017:
1014:
1011:
1008:
1005:
1002:
999:
998:
992:
985:
982:
979:
976:
973:
970:
967:
966:
962:
959:
956:
953:
950:
947:
944:
943:
939:
936:
933:
930:
927:
924:
918:
917:
913:
910:
907:
904:
901:
898:
895:
892:
891:
887:
884:
881:
878:
875:
872:
869:
868:
864:
861:
858:
855:
852:
849:
846:
845:
841:
838:
835:
832:
829:
826:
823:
822:
818:
815:
812:
809:
806:
803:
797:
796:
792:
789:
786:
783:
780:
777:
774:
773:
769:
766:
763:
760:
757:
754:
751:
750:
746:
743:
740:
737:
734:
731:
728:
727:
723:
720:
717:
714:
711:
708:
706:1938 (spring)
705:
704:
700:
697:
694:
691:
688:
685:
679:
678:
674:
671:
668:
665:
662:
659:
657:1937 (spring)
656:
655:
651:
648:
645:
642:
639:
636:
633:
632:
628:
625:
622:
619:
616:
613:
608:1936 (spring)
607:
606:
603:Games behind
602:
599:
596:
593:
590:
587:
584:
581:
580:
574:
570:
566:
562:
560:
556:
554:
550:
548:
544:
542:
538:
536:
532:
528:
526:
522:
520:
516:
514:
510:
508:
507:Katsuo Takada
504:
502:
501:Katsuo Takada
498:
494:
492:
488:
486:
482:
481:
477:
475:
473:
469:
468:
463:
454:
452:
450:
446:
442:
441:Makoto Kozuru
438:
434:
430:
426:
418:
413:
411:
407:
405:
404:
399:
391:
389:
387:
383:
378:
376:
372:
368:
363:
361:
357:
353:
349:
345:
337:
335:
333:
329:
328:
327:Asahi Shimbun
323:
315:
313:
311:
305:
303:
299:
295:
287:
285:
282:
280:
276:
272:
268:
264:
263:
258:
254:
246:
241:
236:
234:
232:
228:
224:
220:
216:
211:
205:
196:
192:
182:
177:
174:
170:
166:
161:
158:
154:
143:
139:
136:
133:
129:
125:
122:
118:
106:
102:
98:
94:
80:
76:
72:
69:
62:
57:
54:
50:
45:
41:
36:
31:
27:Baseball team
19:
1116:
1108:
922:Taiyō Robins
465:
462:Taiyo Whales
458:
445:Japan Series
436:
422:
408:
401:
398:Taiyo Robins
397:
395:
392:Taiyo Robins
379:
367:Tokyo Kyojin
364:
347:
343:
341:
331:
325:
319:
310:Tokyo Kyojin
306:
293:
291:
283:
271:Jimmy Bonner
260:
252:
250:
227:Taiyo Whales
190:
188:
18:Taiyo Robins
729:1938 (fall)
680:1937 (fall)
634:1936 (fall)
511:1941–1943:
505:1939–1940:
485:Katsuzo Ito
382:Juzo Sanada
183:(1951–1952)
167:(1937–1952)
126:(1936–1949)
78:Established
73:(1950–1952)
47:Information
1130:Categories
1100:References
277:broke the
1003:Team name
611:Dai Tokyo
600:Standings
585:Team name
356:Gold Star
253:Dai Tokyo
247:Dai Tokyo
233:in 1941.
213:) were a
204:romanized
156:Ownership
478:Managers
373:pitcher
269:player,
195:Japanese
99:1 (1950)
67:Ballpark
896:Pacific
338:Pacific
206::
172:Manager
86: (
1117:Medium
1009:Losses
591:Losses
563:1952:
557:1951:
551:1950:
545:1949:
539:1948:
529:1947:
523:1946:
517:1944:
495:1938:
348:Taihei
199:松竹ロビンス
162:(1936)
150:
147:
141:Colors
52:League
963:25.5
914:21.5
888:15.5
842:23.5
801:Asahi
770:32.5
629:N.A.
403:kanji
322:Osaka
316:Asahi
231:Osaka
1087:.288
1075:1952
1064:.482
1052:1951
1041:.737
1026:1950
1012:Ties
1006:Wins
1000:Year
980:.391
968:1949
957:.452
945:1948
934:.439
919:1947
908:.412
893:1946
882:.353
870:1944
859:.532
847:1943
836:.495
824:1942
813:.298
798:1941
787:.240
775:1940
764:.363
752:1939
741:.487
718:.257
695:.396
683:Lion
669:.404
646:.192
623:.000
594:Ties
588:Wins
582:Year
288:Lion
189:The
88:1936
81:1936
1093:48
1070:27
1047:--
986:33
940:28
865:11
819:37
793:50
747:11
724:20
701:20
675:19
652:17
1132::
1081:84
1078:34
1058:57
1055:53
1035:35
1032:98
974:81
971:52
951:74
948:61
928:64
925:50
902:60
899:42
876:22
873:12
853:36
850:41
830:50
827:49
807:59
804:29
781:76
778:24
758:58
755:33
735:20
732:19
712:26
689:29
686:19
663:31
660:21
640:21
617:13
474:.
388:.
362:.
312:.
304:.
201:,
197::
59:*
1090:7
1084:2
1067:4
1061:5
1044:1
1038:4
983:8
977:0
960:6
954:5
937:8
931:5
911:8
905:3
885:5
879:1
862:3
856:7
839:4
833:4
816:8
810:1
790:9
784:4
767:8
761:5
744:6
738:1
721:8
715:0
709:9
698:6
692:1
672:6
666:4
649:7
643:2
637:5
626:7
620:1
614:0
567:/
533:/
499:/
369:/
193:(
90:)
20:)
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