The Birth of the Osaka Tigers and Hanshin Railway's Ambition
On December 10, 1935, Hanshin Electric Railway Company announced the establishment of the professional baseball team 'Osaka Tigers.' At the time, the Yomiuri Shimbun had formed the Giants, and following the success of Japan-US baseball exhibitions, plans for a professional baseball league were taking concrete shape. Behind Hanshin Railway's entry into team management was the railway company's distinctive business model of developing areas along its rail lines and attracting passengers. Koshien Stadium had been built in 1924 for high school baseball, but by also utilizing it as a professional baseball home ground, the company aimed to increase property values and ridership along its lines. Shigeo Mori was appointed as the first manager, and players including Kenjiro Matsuki from Keio University and Masaru Kagiura joined the team. The team name 'Tigers' is attributed either to the place name 'Tora' in Nishinomiya where Koshien Stadium is located, or to the Hanshin Railway company emblem. Regardless of origin, the tiger image has been carried on as the team's identity for nearly 90 years.
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The Launch of the Japanese Professional Baseball League and Early Battles
On February 5, 1936, the Japanese Professional Baseball League was established with seven teams including the Osaka Tigers. In the spring league of that year, the Osaka Tigers achieved strong results, and in the fall league, they won the championship. This first-year success was decisive in establishing the team's foundation. Masaru Kagiura was particularly notable as a pioneer of 'two-way play,' posting remarkable statistics with a .338 batting average and 1.69 ERA. In 1937, a two-season system of spring and fall was introduced, and the Osaka Tigers won the spring league championship again. During this period, the Osaka Tigers became recognized as one of the two major forces in Japanese professional baseball alongside the Giants, and matches between the two teams began forming the prototype of the 'Traditional Rivalry.' Hanshin Railway made aggressive investments in team operations, implementing successive measures to improve player conditions and attract fans.
Wartime Regime and Team Name Changes
Entering the 1940s, as the Second Sino-Japanese War intensified, criticism of English-derived team names grew. In 1940, the Osaka Tigers were forced to change their name to 'Hanshin.' In 1941, the name was further changed to 'Hanshin-gun' (Hanshin Army), taking on militaristic overtones. During this period, many players were conscripted, and team strength declined significantly. Kagiura was killed in action in the Philippines in 1945, a tragedy that cost the team one of its founding-era core players. In 1944, league play was suspended, and the team was effectively forced into a state of inactivity. However, Hanshin Railway chose not to dissolve the team, maintaining the organization with an eye toward postwar revival. This decision was a crucial management judgment that made the team's postwar reconstruction possible. The wartime team name changes symbolize the hardships experienced by all of Japanese professional baseball and remain an unforgettable chapter in the Hanshin Tigers' history.
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The Legacy of the Founding Era and Its Modern Impact
The history from the founding of the Osaka Tigers through the prewar era forms the foundation of the current Hanshin Tigers' identity. The business model of railway company team ownership spread to other Kansai teams such as the Nankai Hawks and Hankyu Braves, contributing significantly to the development of Japanese professional baseball. The tradition of using Koshien Stadium as the home ground has continued unbroken since the team's founding, making it one of the longest-serving home stadiums in NPB. The 'Traditional Rivalry' with the Giants has accumulated nearly 90 years of history since their first meeting in 1936, continuing to captivate fans as Japanese professional baseball's greatest rivalry. The image of being a 'Kansai team' and a 'people's team' established during the founding era became the soil in which the Hanshin Tigers cultivated a unique fan culture distinct from other teams. The story that began with the Osaka Tigers is deeply intertwined with the history of Japanese professional baseball itself.