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History
2004 Nippon Professional Baseball realignment
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The 2004 Nippon Professional Baseball realignment was a series of events that occurred during the 2004 Nippon Professional Baseball season that changed the landscape of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). In June of that season, the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes and the Orix BlueWave announced that, due to financial difficulties, the two teams planned to merge into one for the start of the 2005 season. Both teams were in the Pacific League (PL), and a merger between the two would result in a team imbalance with the PL's opposing league, the Central League (CL). Soon, it was announced that a second merger was being explored between two of the remaining four PL teams. With the possibility of the PL losing a second team, discussion about possibly restructuring NPB's two-league system into one ten-team league began. PL and CL executives continued to discuss the merits of both systems until it was finally decided that the two-league system would remain intact and interleague play would be introduced in the 2005 season.
Livedoor President Takafumi Horie attempted to purchase the Kintetsu Buffaloes, but Kintetsu refused to hear the offer.
Livedoor President Takafumi Horie attempted to purchase the Kintetsu Buffaloes, but Kintetsu refused to hear the offer.
Senichi Hoshino, a senior adviser to the Hanshin Tigers, helped to convince Central League team owners to fight to keep the two-league system.
Senichi Hoshino, a senior adviser to the Hanshin Tigers, helped to convince Central League team owners to fight to keep the two-league system.
During a home game in July 2004 at the Osaka Dome, Kintetsu Buffaloes fans in the right field bleachers display signs expressing their unhappiness wit
During a home game in July 2004 at the Osaka Dome, Kintetsu Buffaloes fans in the right field bleachers display signs expressing their unhappiness with the planned team merger with the Orix BlueWave. The two largest banners in the front display "我らのチームバファローズ 球団合併断固反対!" and "選手・ファンを無視した合併を許せない". These translate to, "The Buffaloes are our team. [We] strongly oppose a team merger!" and "A merger that ignores players and fans is unforgivable", respectively.
Rakuten President Hiroshi Mikitani applied for and won the opportunity to start a new baseball club in Sendai.
Rakuten President Hiroshi Mikitani applied for and won the opportunity to start a new baseball club in Sendai.
Interleague play (NPB)
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Interleague play , officially titled Nippon Life Interleague Play for event sponsor Nippon Life, is an event consisting of 108 regular-season baseball games played between Central League (CL) and Pacific League (PL) teams in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Yuki Yanagita is the only player to win the event's MVP award twice.
Yuki Yanagita is the only player to win the event's MVP award twice.
Tomoaki Kanemoto is the only player to win multiple Nippon Life Awards—two.
Tomoaki Kanemoto is the only player to win multiple Nippon Life Awards—two.