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Coordinates: 34°39′41″N 135°30′06″E / 34.66147°N 135.50180°E / 34.66147; 135.50180
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Osaka Stadium
大阪スタヂアム[a]
Namba Stadium
Suribachi Stadium
Osaka Stadium in 1985
Map
Address2-8-110 Nanbanaka, Naniwa-ku[2]
LocationOsaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
Coordinates34°39′41″N 135°30′06″E / 34.66147°N 135.50180°E / 34.66147; 135.50180
OwnerOsaka Stadium Corporation
Capacity31,379
Field sizeLeft/right field – 91.6 m (301 ft)
Left/right-center – 109.7 m (360 ft)
Center field – 115.8 m (380 ft)
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Broke groundJanuary 1950
OpenedSeptember 12, 1950
ClosedNovember 1998; 26 years ago (1998-11)
Demolished2000; 24 years ago (2000)
ArchitectJunzo Sakakura
Tenants
Nankai Hawks (NPB) (1950–1988)
Kintetsu Pearls (NPB) (1950–1957)
Taiyo Shochiku Robins/Yosho Robins (NPB) (1953–1954)

Osaka Stadium (大阪スタヂアム, Ōsaka Sutadjiamu)[a]

History

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During World War II, the Nankai Hawks' home ballpark was Nakamozu Stadium, however, its location in the Osaka suburb of Sakai made travel to the stadium difficult and inconvenient.[3] By 1948, the Hawks began playing their games at the Hanshin Electric Railway's Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya and went on to win the Japanese Baseball League that season. The win helped to push Nankai Electric Railway, owner of the Hawks, to consider building their own stadium.[4] At the time, three other railroad companies owned their own stadiums adjacent to their rail lines because the land was inexpensive and it was beneficial to collect train fares from fans traveling to the games.[5] After the 1948 championship, major general William F. Marquat of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers asked Nankai where they were based, and the Hawks explained that they were renting Koshien for their games.[5] Marquat then approved the construction of a new baseball stadium on the former site of the destroyed Ministry of Finance's Monopoly Bureau; the land was adjacent to Nankai's Namba Station and located in Osaka's desirable Minami downtown area.[5][4]

Construction began in January 1950 and was completed on September 12, 1950; it hosted its first game five days later between the Hankyu Braves and Kintetsu Pearls.[6][7] After its completion, the structure was referred to as the "Osaka Castle of the Shōwa era" because it towered over its surroundings still largely destroyed from the war.[3]

Lighting equipment was added in 1951 to allow night games to be played at the stadium.[8]

The last official game was between Kintetsu and Orix was held on August 2, 1990. The capacity was 31,379.[7]

Non-baseball events

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Post-baseball and demolition

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The stadium was closed permanently in November 1998.[7]

Design and features

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Osaka Stadium's infield stands sloped steeply.

Osaka Stadium was built on a relatively small parcel of land between the Nankai Main Line railway and the Loop Route of the Hanshin Expressway.[6] To maximize the ballpark's capacity, Sakakura Architects[citation needed] designed the stadium's reinforced concrete infield stands to be built close to the field and to rise sharply at a 37° inclination.[6][4] The resulting tall, steep sides earned the ballpark the nickname "Suribachi Stadium" for its resemblance to a Japanese mortar bowl.[9]

The stadium's playing field was traditionally Japanese, curved and symmetrical.[10] From when it opened through the 1971 season, the distance from home plate to the foul poles was 84 metres (276 ft). This distance was increased to 91.6 metres (301 ft) after the 1972 renovation.[11] The dimensions to the walls in left- and right-center and in center field remained the same at 109.7 metres (360 ft) and 115.8 metres (380 ft), respectively.[7]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Also referred to as 大阪球場 (Ōsaka Kyūjō, lit. 'Osaka Ballpark')[1]

References

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  1. ^ "生まれ変わる「非日常空間」　再開発の球場跡地、さりげなく残る"思い出" (3/5ページ)" ["Extraordinary space" to be born again / Redevelopment of former ballpark site, "memories" casually remain (page 3/5)]. SankeiBiz (in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun. October 5, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  2. ^ "大阪 (閉鎖)" [Osaka (closed)] (in Japanese). Nippon Professional Baseball. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "【球跡巡り・第46回】南海ホークス栄光の歴史を刻んだ 大阪スタヂアム" [[Ball ruins tour - 46th] Osaka Stadium, where the glorious history of Nankai Hawks was carved] (in Japanese). Nippon Professional Baseball. September 24, 2021. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "大阪球場　南海本拠地はミナミの超一等地　ヤジに笑い身売りに泣く" [Osaka Stadium, Nankai home is in prestigious Minami area / Laugh at the hecklers and weep at its sale]. Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese). December 26, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c "かつての大阪球場　選手から客席の女性のパンツ丸見えだった" [Former Osaka Stadium, players could see the underpants of the women in the audience]. NEWSポストセブン (in Japanese). Shogakukan. September 9, 2012. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c Hiramoto, Yasuaki (November 27, 2021). "ミナミの中心に響いた球音　野村、杉浦ら名選手を生んだ大阪球場" [The sound of the ball echoing in the heart of Minami / Osaka Stadium, the birthplace of such great players as Nomura and Sugiura]. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d "おかえり！ノムさん、大阪球場に雄姿再び" [Welcome back! Nomu-san, a heroic figure again at Osaka Ballpark]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). October 29, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  8. ^ "【内田雅也の追球】閑古鳥の甲子園に大観衆を呼んだカクテル光線　コロナ禍のナイター記念日に思う". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). May 13, 2021. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  9. ^ "大手私鉄が作った在阪プロ野球チームと「大阪スタヂアム」「藤井寺球場」「日生球場」の今" [Professional baseball teams in Osaka built by major private railways and "Osaka Stadium," "Fujiidera Stadium," and "Nippon Life Stadium" today]. Nikkan Gendai (in Japanese). Nikkan Hyundai. May 6, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  10. ^ Satoshi, Asa (May 23, 2018). "球団と市民、ファンが一緒になって作り上げたボールパーク：楽天生命パーク宮城" [Baseball team, citizens, and fans work together to create a ballpark: Rakuten Life Park Miyagi] (in Japanese). Yahoo! Japan. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  11. ^ "【追憶のスタジアム（５）】大阪球場　南海ホークス黄金期の舞台" [[Stadium of Remembrance (5)] Osaka Stadium　The golden age of the Nankai Hawks]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). September 23, 2014. Archived from the original on December 2, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
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