Sadaharu Oh, also known as Wang Chen-chih, is a Japanese-born former baseball player and manager who is currently the chairman of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball. Oh holds the world lifetime home run record, having hit 868 home runs during his professional career. He established many NPB batting records, including runs batted in (RBI) (2,170), slugging percentage (.634), bases on balls (2,390), and on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) (1.080). In 1977, Oh became the first recipient of the People's Honour Award. He was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994.
The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks are a Japanese professional baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. They compete in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) as a member of the Pacific League. Founded on February 22, 1938 as the Nankai Club, being the first Kansai team to play in Osaka proper, the team went through a few name changes before settling on Nankai Hawks in 1947, eventually changing ownership in 1988 and moving to Fukuoka in 1989. The team subsequently became known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks until 2005, when they were purchased by SoftBank Group, becoming the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. Since 1993, the Hawks have played at the Fukuoka PayPay Dome, which has gone under several name changes and seats 40,000 people.
The Daiei, Inc., based in Kobe, is one of the largest supermarket chains in Japan. In 1957, Isao Nakauchi founded the chain in Osaka near Sembayashi Station on the Keihan train line. Daiei is now under a restructuring process supported by Marubeni Corporation and ÆON Co., Ltd., another Japanese supermarket chain. Daiei Inc. runs more than 3,000 stores under the Daiei name as well as through its subsidiaries. In addition to groceries, Daiei is also a department store, selling electronics, home furnishings, and clothes. In terms of net sales, Daiei was formerly the largest retailer in Japan.
Kazumi Saito is a Japanese former professional baseball starting pitcher, and current first squad pitching coach for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. He was a two-time winner of the Eiji Sawamura Award, but did not pitch in a regular season game after October 2007 due to various shoulder injuries.
Arihito Muramatsu is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder, and current the first squad outfield defense and base coach for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Hiroki Kokubo is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder, and current manager for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Koji Akiyama is a retired Japanese professional baseball player. He played for the Seibu Lions and the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Masao Fujii was a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He was born in Nishi-ku, Fukuoka and raised in Karatsu, Saga.
Kenji Akashi is a former Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball infielder, and current second squad hitting coach for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He played his entire 19-year career with Fukuoka.
Katsuki Yamazaki is a Japanese former professional baseball catcher. He has played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks / Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and Orix Buffaloes.
Hayato Terahara is a former Japanese professional baseball pitcher. He played for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks/Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, Yokohama BayStars, Orix Buffaloes and Tokyo Yakult Swallows of the Nippon Professional Baseball(NPB).
Kenichi Wakatabe is a former Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher, and current third squad pitching coach for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Hiroshi Ogawa is a former Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball shortstop, and current the forth squad manage for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Keisaburo Tanoue is a former Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher, and the second squad pitching coach for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Ryo Yoshimoto is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball infielder, and current first squad hitting coach for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
The 2021 Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks season was the 83rd season of the franchise in Nippon Professional Baseball, their 16th season under SoftBank Group, their 32nd season in Fukuoka, and their 28th season in Fukuoka PayPay Dome. This season was Kimiyasu Kudo's last season managing the Hawks, after a 6 year run. 2021 was also the first time the Hawks missed qualifying for the Climax Series play-offs after the 2013 season, and the first time they failed to maintain a .500 winning percentage since 2008.
Manabu Saito is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher, and current first squad pitching coach for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Takashi Sasagawa is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder, catcher, and current forth squad infield and base coach for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Junji Hoshino is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher, and current pitchers coordinator for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Tomohiro Nagai is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher, and current Executive officer and General Manager of Scouting department for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
