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Tigers win 1st Central League title in 18 years as police mobilize for crowd control

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Was out last night in Kobe and there was much glee and singing of the Tiger’s anthem!

8 ( +10 / -2 )

I will always root for the underdog. Way to go Hanshin Tigers.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Hats off to Manager Okada and the Hanshin Tigers. Certainly a title as rare as hens teeth! Party time on the streets of Osaka!

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Obviously such massive crowd numbers are a serious risk to the safety of residents. The mayor should be telling people to stay away from Namba!

-13 ( +7 / -20 )

Nice to see them clinch it with a win over the Giants.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Obviously such massive crowd numbers are a serious risk to the safety of residents. The mayor should be telling people to stay away from Namba!

Cripes, more people gather together at the scramble crossing in Tokyo on any given day. Are you going to tell Koike to tell people to stay away?

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Awesome, of course! Especially sweeping the hated Giants!

But the real goal is winning the Japan Series!! If that happens, more than a few fans will be jumping into the Dotonbori "River"! Despite police warnings!

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Well done!!..

GO HANSHIN TIGERS !!!..

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Obviously such massive crowd numbers are a serious risk to the safety of residents. The mayor should be telling people to stay away from Namba!

Why so sad??..

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Seeing all those people on the bridge brings memories of the many footbridges that have collapsed around the world during sporting events and concerts.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Seeing all those people on the bridge brings memories of the many footbridges that have collapsed around the world during sporting events and concerts.

Don't fear : Japanese engineering is world class. The bridge is designed for the world's biggest earthquakes - a mob of Hanshin fans won't trouble it!

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

Yay Hanshin! Han shin Tigers! It was a close game towards the end. Guys! Remember to look out for Joshin ads.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

今年こそ as the saying goes.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Go Tigers! I'm really happy for Osaka.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I'm curious about the picture. Why did the police block off the west side of the bridge and canalside and force everyone to be on the east side of it?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Cripes, more people gather together at the scramble crossing in Tokyo on any given day. Are you going to tell Koike to tell people to stay away?

thats the joke… (Shibuya Mayor telling people to stay away on Halloween yesterday)

I'm curious about the picture. Why did the police block off the west side of the bridge and canalside and force everyone to be on the east side of it

its to stop more energetic party people from jumping in. Every time Hanshin wins or a big celebration in the area people jump in the dirty middle of the city river. Sometimes not being able to swim etc. or like the one guy, not knowing boats go up and down it constantly decided to jump head first… on to the deck of a passing tour boat.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Aren’t there just 6 teams in the league? How can winning it be so rare?

Because Japanese pro baseball has a stupid arsed draft system that is based purely on the luck of the draw.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

The KFC's better lock up their Colonel statues.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Price reductions in Joshin.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Speed

I'm curious about the picture. Why did the police block off the west side of the bridge and canalside and force everyone to be on the east side of it?

I wonder if the riverside walkway is narrower on the West side? Or, perhaps the businesses on that side are less amenable to crowds? Maybe, simple crowd control? Or, the very real likelihood that the local police leadership wanted to seem like they were doing something.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

@wandora--good question. If all teams are close in talent and funding, then 3 pennants in 18 years would be normal. Hanshin has their second in that span. So another better funded team must have four or more pennants to make up for the Tigers underachieving.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Though I hate to see the Tigers win (and possibly go on to win the Japan Series) it is so nice to see them do so over the Giants.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Because Japanese pro baseball has a stupid arsed draft system that is based purely on the luck of the draw.

What does this mean?

Aren’t there just 6 teams in the league? How can winning it be so rare?

Because Tigers are usually garbage?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I don't follow baseball but when Hanshin Tigers win Joshin gives a price reduction and goes then.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

What does this mean?

Typically the draft order would be the team that has the worst record, drafting 1st, and the Japan series champion drafting last. So that the "best" players in the draft would go to the weaker teams, and then as they get stronger, there is more competition.

But no, Japanese baseball in it's infinite (stupid) way of thinking, lets all teams choose who they want to draft, and if there is another team that wants to draft the same player, or in some cases, all 12 teams want to draft the same player, all names of the teams are put into the proverbial hat, someone picks the "winning" team, and they get to draft the player. It has happened numerous times that the "winningest" team has drafted the "best" player, and the weakest teams dont get better, because the draft pool of "strong" players is nearly always pretty fair at best.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Oh they must be overjoyed!

they worked hard, nice job!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

It looks like a "subway series" this year. Tigers-Buffaloes. Very Kansai-centric.

Is there a Japanese phrase for when two teams from the same city/metro area face off in a championship series?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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