Hanshin Tigers win their first Japan Series title in 38 years. Hanshin fans jumped into the Dotonbori River in celebration.
Hanshin defeated the Oryx Buffaloes 7-1 in Game 7 of the best-of-seven Nippon Professional Baseball Japan Series 2023 (JS-7) at Kyocera Dome in Osaka, Japan, on Thursday afternoon (ET). With the win, Hanshin improved to 4-3 all-time in the series and won its first Japan Series title in 38 years, since the 1985 season.
Founded in 1935, Hanshin has the second-longest history and tradition in Japanese baseball behind Yomiuri, which was founded in 1934. However, they’ve had less success with championships. They won the regular season Central League title in 2023, their first in 18 years. They’ve only won the Nippon Series once (in 1985).
Hanshin advanced to the Japan Series this fall with four wins over Hiroshima Capitals in the final stage of the Climax Series, including one with a first-place advantage. They faced the Oryx in a best-of-six series the day before, and won the deciding game to complete their long-awaited Japan Series victory.
Hanshin fans took to the streets to celebrate their long-awaited victory. According to Japanese media, Osaka authorities deployed 1,300 police officers in anticipation of the crowds of Hanshin fans who would take to the streets in celebration of their victory.
The police presence was due to the history of Hanshin fans celebrating after wins. When Hanshin won the Japan Series in 1985, fans threw a KFC statue into the river near Osaka’s Dotonbori River. The statue was only found in 2009 and became a viral sensation. Also, when Hanshin won the Central League in 2003, more than 5,300 people entered the Dotonbori River, killing one person in the process. This 안전놀이터 time, a large number of people were expected to jump into the Dotonbori River. Police were deployed in various locations to prevent this.
But there was no stopping the passion and joy of the Hanshin fans. Hanshin fans pushed through a large number of police and threw themselves into the Dotonbori River. Some fans celebrated their victory by performing a dive that included several spins in the air.