Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 福岡ソフトバンクホークス | |||||
|
|||||
| Information | |||||
| League | Nippon Professional Baseball
|
||||
| Location | Chūō-ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan | ||||
| Ballpark | Mizuho PayPay Dome Fukuoka | ||||
| Year founded | February 22, 1938 | ||||
| Nickname(s) | Taka (鷹, hawk) | ||||
| PL pennants | 21 (1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1959, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1973, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2024, 2025) | ||||
| Japan Series championships | 12 (1959, 1964, 1999, 2003, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2025) | ||||
| JBL championships | 2 (1946, 1948) | ||||
| Former name(s) |
|
||||
| Former ballparks |
|
||||
| Colors | Revolution Yellow, Black, White, Grey |
||||
| Mascot | Harry Hawk and the Hawk Family | ||||
| Playoff berths | 20 (1973, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025) | ||||
| Ownership | Masayoshi Son, Yoshimitsu Goto | ||||
| Management | SoftBank Group, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Corp. | ||||
| Manager | Hiroki Kokubo | ||||
| President | Sadaharu Oh | ||||
| Website | softbankhawks.co.jp | ||||
| Uniforms | |||||
|
|||||
The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks are a professional baseball team from Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. They play in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league, as part of the Pacific League. The team started on February 22, 1938, as the Nankai Club. Over the years, they changed names a few times. They became the Nankai Hawks in 1947. In 1988, new owners took over, and the team moved to Fukuoka in 1989. They were then called the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks until 2005. That's when SoftBank Group bought them, and they became the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. Since 1993, the Hawks have played their home games at Mizuho PayPay Dome Fukuoka. This stadium can hold 40,142 fans.
The Hawks are known as one of the most successful teams in the Pacific League. They are also one of the richest teams in baseball, thanks to the SoftBank Group. They have the second-highest number of wins in all Japanese sports, just behind the Yomiuri Giants. The Hawks have played in the Japan Series 21 times. They won two championships in the Japanese Baseball League in 1946 and 1948 when they were in Osaka. The Hawks have won the Japan Series 12 times, including seven wins between 2011 and 2020. Their most recent Japan Series win was in 2025. They also have 21 Pacific League pennants, with the latest in 2025. These achievements make them one of the top teams in NPB history.
The Hawks went through a long period without winning the Japan Series, from 1964 to 1999. This changed in 1999, thanks to new manager Sadaharu Oh, a famous home run hitter. Under Oh's leadership, the team grew stronger. They focused on developing young players and using smart strategies. This helped them become a powerful team, winning many Japan Series titles. Key players like Yuki Yanagita, Kodai Senga, and Tsuyoshi Wada were part of this successful era. They won in 2003, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. They were the first team since the 1965–1973 Yomiuri Giants to win more than three championships in a row. As of 2025, the Hawks have a strong overall record. Their current manager is Hiroki Kokubo.
Contents
A Look Back: Team History
Early Days: Nankai Hawks
The team started on February 22, 1938, as the Nankai Club in Osaka. It was founded by the president of Nankai Electric Railway. The club joined the Japanese Baseball League (JPBL) in 1938. They played their first games at Sakai Ohama Stadium. In 1939, they moved to Nakamozu Stadium. The team's name changed to Kinki Nippon in 1944 during wartime. After a break in 1945, the team became Kinki Great Ring in 1946 and won the JBL championship.
In 1947, the team changed its name to Nankai Hawks. This name came from the Nankai company's logo, which featured a winged wheel. When the JPBL became Nippon Professional Baseball in 1950, the Hawks joined the Pacific League. Under player-manager Kazuto Tsuruoka, they became very successful. They won two Japan Series championships in 1959 and 1964. They also won 10 Pacific League pennants during this time.
In 1964, pitcher Masanori Murakami became the first Japanese player to play in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the San Francisco Giants. This led to an agreement about Japanese players in MLB. Murakami returned to the Hawks in 1966 and played until 1974. The team struggled between 1978 and 1988, with fewer fans and lower profits. In 1988, the team was sold to the Daiei Corporation.
Moving to Fukuoka: Daiei Hawks
After being bought by Daiei, the Hawks moved to Fukuoka in 1989. Fukuoka had not had a baseball team for a decade. The move also helped Daiei expand its brand to the Kyushu region. The Hawks played their first four seasons in Fukuoka at Heiwadai Stadium.
In 1993, the Hawks moved to the new Fukuoka Dome, now called Mizuho PayPay Dome Fukuoka. This was the first stadium in NPB with a retractable roof. The Hawks started to improve by drafting and developing young players. A big change came in 1995 when Sadaharu Oh was hired as manager. He was a legendary home run hitter. Under Oh, the team brought in talented players like Kenji Johjima, Kazumi Saitoh, Nobuhiko Matsunaka, and Hiroki Kokubo.
These efforts made the Hawks more competitive. In 1999, they finally won their first Japan Series since 1964, defeating the Chunichi Dragons. This ended their long championship drought. The next year, they reached the Japan Series again but lost to the Yomiuri Giants. In 2003, they won their second Japan Series in five years, beating the Hanshin Tigers.
The SoftBank Era: A Winning Team
In 2005, SoftBank Group bought the team, and they became the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. The Hawks continued their winning ways. They had a strong group of pitchers like Saitoh, Tsuyoshi Wada, and Toshiya Sugiuchi. In 2005, they finished first in the regular season.
In 2008, manager Sadaharu Oh moved to a front office role. Former player Koji Akiyama became the new manager. Under Akiyama, the Hawks won the Pacific League title in 2010. They had strong pitching and a fast offense. In 2011, SoftBank had a dominant season and won the Japan Series, beating the Chunichi Dragons.
The team faced challenges in 2012, losing several star players. However, young pitchers stepped up. In 2014, the Hawks won the Japan Series again. Manager Akiyama retired, and Kimiyasu Kudo took over. Under Kudo, SoftBank won the Japan Series in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. They became the first team since 1973 to win more than three consecutive Japan Series titles. Pitcher Kodai Senga became a star during this time.
In 2021, the Hawks had a tough season and missed the playoffs. Kimiyasu Kudo stepped down as manager. Hiroshi Fujimoto became the new manager in 2022. The Hawks had a strong start to 2022. They finished the regular season tied for first place but lost the pennant to the Orix Buffaloes due to a tiebreaker. They lost to the Buffaloes in the playoffs.
In 2023, the Hawks added new players like Kensuke Kondoh and Roberto Osuna. Despite these additions, they finished third in the Pacific League and lost in the first round of the playoffs. Fujimoto stepped down, and Hiroki Kokubo became the manager. In 2024, the Hawks dominated, winning their 20th Pacific League pennant. However, they lost to the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in the Japan Series. In 2025, the Hawks continued their success, winning their 21st Pacific League pennant and their 12th Japan Series title.
Mascots
The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks have many fun mascots! They have a total of twelve active mascots. Nine of them are part of the Hawk Family. Here are some of the family members:
- Harry Hawk – He is a yellow hawk, 23 years old, and wears the number 100. Harry is the main mascot and the younger brother of Homer Hawk.
- Honey Hawk – She is an 18-year-old pink female hawk. Honey is Harry's girlfriend and the inspiration for the Hawks' cheerleading team, the Honeys.
- Herculy Hawk – A 23-year-old brown hawk with the number 200. Herculy is Harry's teammate and friendly rival.
- Honky Hawk – This 57-year-old brown hawk is Harry's uncle. He loves baseball and is the mayor of Hawks Town.
- Helen Hawk – Helen is Honky's 55-year-old wife.
- Hack Hawk – Harry's 7-year-old nephew. He is the oldest of three hawk brothers.
- Rick Hawk – Harry's 5-year-old nephew, the middle brother. Rick wears glasses.
- Hock Hawk – Harry's 3-year-old nephew, the youngest brother.
- Homer Hawk – He was the original mascot from 1989 to 2004 and is Harry's older brother.
The Hawks also have other special mascots:
- Hinamaru is a chick mascot for the team's second (farm) team. He wears a team cap and has an eggshell that looks like a baseball.
- Fu-san is a mascot based on the jet balloons that fans launch during the "Lucky 7" inning.
In 2023, for the team's 85th anniversary, they introduced Barikata-kun. This unique mascot is inspired by Fukuoka's famous tonkotsu ramen.
MLB players
Many Hawks players have also played in Major League Baseball (MLB).
Retired/Former MLB Players
- Masanori Murakami (1964–1965)
- Tadahito Iguchi (2005–2008)
- Kenji Johjima (2006–2009)
- Munenori Kawasaki (2012–2016)
- Tsuyoshi Wada (2014–2015)
- Kohei Arihara (2021–2022)
- Naoyuki Uwasawa (2024)
Active MLB Players
- Kodai Senga (2023–present)
- The Hawks are the only team in NPB that has never used the current system to send a player to MLB.*
Honored Numbers
- 15
Masao Fujii - 89
Sadaharu Oh
Sadaharu Oh's number 89 was meant to be retired or honored after he stopped managing. However, Oh wanted his successor to be able to wear it. The next manager, Koji Akiyama, felt it was too great an honor to wear so soon after Oh left. So, Akiyama chose to wear number 81 instead.
See also
In Spanish: Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks para niños
