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| Established in 1938,owned by Nankai until 1989,the team carried its name of its parent company except for a few years when the club was known as Kinki Nihon(1944),and Kinki Great Ring(1946-1947).In 1947,the franchise was renamed the Nankai Hawks. |
| Kazuto Tsuruoka(also known as Kazuto Yamamoto),was the Hawks player-manager until 1968.He led the Hawks to their 1st league title in 1946.When the two league system was formed in 1950,Nankai joined the Pacific League along with other Kansai(Osaka area) teams.Although the Mainichi Orions won the Leagues 1st pennent,the Hawks compiled a 74-21 record in 1951 to earn the 1st of 3 consecutive titles.They won their 4th pennent in 1956,winning a record 56 games.After placing 2nd 3 years in a row,Nankai won their 5th pennent in 1959 and finally went all the way,sweeping the Yomiuri Giants in the Japan series. |
| About the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks |
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| Tsuruoka retired in 1968 and Katsuya Nomura was asked to manage the team in 1969 as well as being the teams catcher.He led the team to one pennent in 1973,and was released at the end of the 1977 season.In 1988,Nankai sold the Hawks to the Daiei department store chain and the new owners moved the Hawks from Osaka to Fukuoka in 1989.With a new city and owner the team changed their name to the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks.They played in Heiwadai stadium for a few years,then moved the newly constructed Fukuoka Dome in 1993.In 1995,Daiei hired former Yomiuri Giants homerun king,Sadaharu Oh,to manage the Hawks.Daiei surged to 1st place in 1999, and defeated the Chunichi Dragons in 5 games to earn their 1st Japan Series Championship since 1964. |
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