Professional Baseball Day

What Is Professional Baseball Day?

February 5th is "Professional Baseball Day" in Japan, commemorating the day in 1936 when teams from across the country came together to form the "All Japan Professional Baseball League." It is also known as "the Founding of the Professional Baseball League Day."

Japanese Professional Baseball's History, Starting With Seven Teams

The teams that came together to found the league were each distinctive clubs that would go on to shape the world of Japanese baseball.

• Founding member teams: the Tokyo Kyojin-gun, Osaka Tigers, Nagoya Dragons, Tokyo Senators, Nagoya Kinshi-gun, Hankyu-gun, and Dai-Tokyo-gun -- seven teams in all
• The purpose of founding the league: to organize professional baseball games that had been held separately in various regions, establishing them as a unified league
• What followed: this league later evolved into the "Japanese Baseball League," and eventually into today's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB)

Teams Whose Names Live On Today

Among the seven founding teams, the Tokyo Kyojin-gun became today's Yomiuri Giants, the Osaka Tigers became today's Hanshin Tigers, and Hankyu-gun became today's Orix Buffaloes -- each carrying its lineage forward to the present day through changes in name and ownership.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Look into the history and roots of the team you support
• Learn about the players and legendary games from professional baseball's early years
• Watch a broadcast or highlight reel and think about the season ahead
• Visit a stadium or a museum related to professional baseball

How One League's Founding Became the Foundation of a National Sport

The small league born on this day in 1936 has grown, over nearly 90 years, into a national sport that captivates people across Japan. Let February 5th be a chance to reflect on the history behind professional baseball's founding, while looking ahead to this season with anticipation.