Hanshin Tigers
The Hanshin Tigers (阪神タイガース) are a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League. Hanshin (はんしん) is an industrial region in Japan; its name comes from the kanji used to write the names of Osaka (大阪) and Kobe (神戸), the two largest cities in the said region. The Hanshin Electric Railway owns the Tigers.
- Founded: 1936
- Formerly known as: Osaka Tigers (1936-1940, Hanshin (1940-1946), Osaka Tigers (1947-1960), Hanshin Tigers (1961-)
- Home ballpark: Koshien Stadium
- Uniform colors: White, black and yellow
- Logo design: A tiger's head on a red disk outlined in black, on the outline, it reads "Hanshin Tigers"
- League championships won (4): 1962, 1964 1985, 2003
- Japan Series championships won (1): 1985
The Hanshin Tigers, one of the oldest professional teams in Japan, were founded in 1935. The team was first called the Osaka Tigers. In 1940, amid anti-foreign sentiment, the Tigers changed the name to Hanshin and in 1947 changed the name back to Osaka Tigers. The current team name was came in 1961.
The Tigers won 4 titles before the establishment of the two league system in 1950. Since the league was split into the Central League and the Pacific League, the Tigers have won the Central League pennant 4 times (1962, 1964, 1985, 2003) and Japan Series once (1985).
Famous players in Hanshin Tigers history include Randy Bass, Masayuki Kakefu, Japanese Professional Baseball
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!align=center|Central League
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|align=center| Yomiuri Giants | Chunichi Dragons | Yakult Swallows | Hiroshima Carp | Hanshin Tigers | Yokohama BayStars
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!align=center|Pacific League
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|align=center|Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes | Seibu Lions | Chiba Lotte Marines | Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters | Orix Blue Wave | Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
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|align=center|Japan Series | Japanese Baseball League (former)
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