Overview
October 19, 1988 at Kawasaki Stadium - the Lotte vs Kintetsu doubleheader remains NPB's most dramatic single day. Kintetsu needed to win both games for their first pennant in 10 years. Over 30,000 fans packed the stadium.
Key Events
Kintetsu won the first game by scoring one run in the top of the ninth inning. However, fate turned in the second game.
The Draw
Game 2 became an epic battle. Kintetsu took early leads but Lotte kept equalizing. The game entered extra innings, but rules prohibited new innings after 4 hours from the start. The game ended in a draw, meaning Kintetsu failed to meet the two-win requirement. The Seibu Lions claimed the Pacific League pennant.
Legacy
The tragedy of 10.19 became a symbol of Kintetsu baseball and the cruelty of pennant races. Kintetsu won the pennant the following year in 1989. The Buffaloes merged with Orix in 2004, but the memory of 10.19 lives on among baseball fans.