| 2007: Chunichi Dragons pitchers Daisuke Yamai and Hitoki Iwase combine for a perfect game in game five of the Japan Series in a 1-0 victory that gave the Dragoins their first championship in 53 years. It is also the first perfecto in Japanese postseason history. |
| 2006: It is disclosed that Seibu pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka will be put up for bid via the posting system to MLB. |
| 2005: Rakuten trades pitcher Hisaki Tomioka to Chunichi in exchange for outfielder Teppei Tsuchiya. In addition, Rakuten catcher Takeshi Nakamura announces his retirement. |
| 2005: Lotte manager Bobby Valentine is given the Matsutaro Shoroki Award and thus became the first foreigner to ever be so honored. |
| 2001: Daiei sells infielder Chihiro Hamana to Yakult. |
| 2001: Orix sells infielder Akihito Igarashi to Kintetsu. |
| 2001: As a tribute to pitcher Miguel Del Toro, who had died in an auto accident, Seibu decides to leave his number 32 unworn next season. |
| 2001: Hanshin outfielder Ryoichi Matoba has surgery on his left knee to fix a ligament problem. |
| 2000: Nippon Ham announces the signing of former Daiei pitcher Mitsugu Saito. |
| 2000: Lotte announces the addition of former Seibu pitcher Hisanori Yokota. |
| 1999: Orix pitcher Nobuyuki Hoshino, Yokohama pitcher Kazuhiro Sasaki and Daiei pitcher Kimiyasu Kudoh all announce that they will test the free agency waters. |
| 1999: Kintetsu announces that former Orix pitcher Eiji Maruo has passed a tryout. |
| 1997: Daiei pitcher Tomoyuki Uchiyama announces that he will give the majors a shot. |
| 1997: A team comprised of players from Chunichi and Orix beats a KBO all star team 6-5. |
| 1996: Nippon Ham releases outfielders Rob Ducey and Bernardo Brito. |
| 1996: Chunichi releases pitchers Akira Uehara, Tetsuhiro Nonaka, and Yoichi Sasayama as well as catcher Takamasa Matsui and outfielder Akihiro Shimada. |
| 1996: Lotte releases pitcher Kotaro Azuse. |
| 1996: NPB squeaks by MLB in an all star series 6-5. |
| 1995: Chunichi releases pitchers Koichi Morita and Kenichi Sasaki. |
| 1994: Seibu manager Masaaki Mori steps down. |
| 1994: Orix outfielder Ichiro Suzuki is given a Matsutaro Shoriki Award, as is Yomiuri manager Shigeo Nagashima. |
| 1994: Kintetsu sells catcher Kazuhiko Yamashita to Nippon Ham. |
| 1994: Lotte announces the hiring of Bobby Valentine as the team’s new manager. |
| 1993: In game seven of the Japan Series, Yakult takes a 4-2 victory to win it all. It is the Swallows first championship in 15 years and its second in team annals. |
| 1993: Yokohama releases pitcher Hirohisa Takada, infielder Kazunori Kawakita and outfielders Junki Kono, Yukio Yamaguchi and Tadashi Kawaguchi. |
| 1993: Daiei releases pitchers Kazuhide Sayama, Seiichi Murakami and Kenichi Kanazawa as well as infielder Kei Ichihara. |
| 1993: Free agency is introduced in Japanese baseball. |
| 1992: Daiei announces that Rikuo Nemoto has assumed the manager’s post with the team. |
| 1991: Taiyo pitchers Mitsukuni Takeda and Koji Sugiura retire. |
| 1991: Taiyo releases pitchers Shigeji Kamogawa and Yukihiro Narita as well as catcher Shinji Fujieda, infielders Mitsuhiro Kataoka and Yoshiaki Hino and outfielders Koichi Komasaki and Jiro Miyashita. |
| 1991: Nippon Ham releases pitcher Junichi Hirono. |
| 1990: Hiroshima announces the addition of former Lotte outfielder Hideaki Takazawa, though Takazawa himself was in hospital at the time. |
| 1990: Orix’ nickname will change from Braves to Blue Wave, it is announced. |
| 1990: Yomiuri catcher Kazuhiro Yamakura tells his team he’s calling it a career. |
| 1988: Rakuten pitcher Masahiro Tanaka is born. |
| 1987: Seibu wins the Japan Series. Pitcher Kimiyasu Kudoh is named MVP. |
| 1986: Chunichi outfielder Kenichi Yazawa retires. |
| 1986: An NPB-MLB all star series opens. |
| 1985: Taiyo pitcher Toshio Kato announces his retirement. |
| 1980: Yokohama outfielder Yuki Kono is born. |
| 1979: Hanshin pitcher Taiyo Fujita is born. |
| 1974: Chunichi and Hanshin outfielder So Tsutsui is born. |
| 1974: Rakuten and Nippon Ham pitcher Ryan Glynn is born. |
| 1973: Yomiuri makes it nine straight Japan Series titles. |
| 1964: Daiei infielder Eddie Williams is born. |
| 1961: Daiei and Chunichi pitcher Hiromichi Nakamura is born. |
| 1957: Nishitetsu prevails in game five of the Japan Series to win it all. |
| 1956: Hiroshima outfielder Joji Imai is born. |
| 1953: Nankai outfielder Gene Dotson is born. |
| 1952: Nankai and Kintetsu outfielder Kohei Shimamoto is born. |
| 1947: Nagoya releases Makoto Kozuru, Jiro Kanayama, Junzo Furukawa, Shoj Kato, Masaak Noguch, Tetsunosuke Fujiwara, Yoshihiro Inoue, Isao Mimura, Hideo Fujimoto and Akira Iwamoto. |
| 1945: Tokyo Giants pitcher Kenichi Aoshiba dies at age 33 in a Pyongyang military hospital of disease. |
| 1941: Hanshin outfielder Hiroki Nakajima is born. |
| 1937: Hiroshima outfielder Katsutoshi Akai is born. |
| 1937: Chunichi and Hiroshima pitcher Mamoru Hiroshima is born. |
| 1937: Hanshin and Daimai pitcher Yutaka Doi is born. |
| 1933: Kintetsu and Takahashi pitcher Yoji Yoshida is born. |
| 1932: Nankai pitcher Taketoshi Okami is born. |
| 1932: Chunichi, Takahashi, Kintetsu and Nankai pitcher Shiro Itoh is born. |
| 1927: Tokyu outfielder Wasaburo Kaneko is born. |
| 1921: Nagoya outfielder Kansuke Onishi is born. |
| 1916: Nagoya Golden Dolphins outfielder Yoshio Mikami is born. |
| 1915: Nankai catcher Michinobu Nakata is born. |
| 1913: Yomiuri infielder Kichizo Toda is born. |
| 1896: Osaka Tigers and Hiroshima Carp manager Shuichi Ishimoto is born. The interesting thing about Ishimoto is that he ran those teams at their inception, something not too many field bosses have done. |
| 2006: It formally comes to pass that pitcher Masumi Kuwata will be cut loose by Yomiuri. |
| 2001: Kintetsu releases pitcher Kazuya Shibata. |
| 2001: The baseball program at Sendai Ikuei High School is suspended for six months when it is discovered that some of the players had been improperly using train passes. |
| 2001: Kawai Musical Instruments announces that it will abolish its industrial league team effective at the end of the month. |
| 2000: The owners approve the use of player agents under certain specificied conditions. |
| 2000: Yokohama sends pitcher Hisashi Tokano and infielders Tatsuya Shindo and Kiyoshi Arai to Orix for pitchers Yu Sugimoto and Kazuyuki Maeda as well as infielder Hirofumi Ogawa. |
| 2000: Daiei announces the formal signing of outfielder Pedro Valdez. |
| 2000: Detroit annnounces that it wil not renew the contract of pitcher Hideo Nomo. |
| 1999: It is revealed that Chunichi pitcher Sang-hoon Lee will leave the team. He then signed with Boston. |
| 1999: Yakult infielder Takehiko Kobayakawa announces his retirement. |
| 1999: Yokohama pitcvher Takashi Saito has groin surgery. |
| 1999: Four Nishi Nihon Tandai Fuzoku High School players and alumni are arrested for the rape of two female students. |
| 1998: Hanshin sells outfielder Atsuhiro Motonishi to Nippon Ham. |
| 1998: Nippon Ham releases pitcher Yoshihiro Kojima and infielder oichi Ogawa. |
| 1997: A Chunichi-Orix combined squad gets by one comprised of players from the KBO’s Sanbangweol, Haitai and Samsung 4-3. |
| 1996: MLB beats NPB 4-2 in an all star series game at Tokyo Dome. |
| 1995: Daiei releases pitchers Hiroomi Ishinuki and Shinji Yamaguchi as well as outfielder Hirotaka Uchida. In addition, catcher Junya Nakai announces his retirement to join the club’s minor league coaching staff. |
| 1995: Yokohama pitcher Akira Yoshii retires. |
| 1995: Lotte releases outfielder Pete Incaviglia. |
| 1993: Hanshin infielder Hiromi Matsunaga declares free agency. |
| 1993: Yakult manager Katsuya Nomura is given a Matsutaro Shoriki Award. |
| 1993: Seibu trades pitcher Tetsu Suzuki to Hiroshima fiior catcher Yukihiro Ueda. |
| 1993: Nippon Ham releases pitchers Satoshi Ishikawa, Tsutomu Sakamoto, Shinya Takano and Masaru Sejima as well as infielders Chisen Sakaguchi and Hidenori Nakamitsu and outfielders Tadami Nimura and Minoru Tanaka. |
| 1993: Orix releases infielder Hidetoshi Koga. |
| 1993: A combined team of the Yomiuri Giants and the Daiei Hawks racks up a 4-3 sayonara win against L.A. in a friendship game. |
| 1992: Daiei decides to release infielders Boomer Wells and Mike Laga. |
| 1992: Taiyo moves outfielder Tadami Nimura to Nippon Ham for no compensation. |
| 1991: An all star series between NPB and the KBO opens. |
| 1990: An NPB-MLB all star series opens. |
| 1988: Hiroshima sells pitcher Kazuo Yamamoto to Hankyu. |
| 1985: Hanshin wins its first ever Japan Series. Randy Bass is named series MVP. |
| 1982: Kokutetsu catcher Ko Katsuta dies at age 58. |
| 1980: Hiroshima wins the Japan Series four games to three. |
| 1977: Hanshin announces the resignation of manager Yoshio Yoshida and the hiring of Tsugio Goto in his place. |
| 1976: Hankyu wins game seven of the Japan Series. |
| 1974: Lotte, Seibu and Rakuten infielder Jose Fernandez is born. |
| 1972: Yakult catcher Tadashi Ueno is born. |
| 1972: Hanshin pitcher-manager Minoru Murayama retires as an active player. |
| 1970: Yomiuri seizes another championship with a win in game five of the Japan Series. |
| 1966: Orix outfielder Orlando Merced is born. |
| 1964: Former Osaka and Mainichi pitcher Tadashi Wakabayashi is inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. |
| 1961: Hiroshima and Nippon Ham pitcher Mitsunori Takiguchi is born. |
| 1952: Hiroshima infielder Toshifumi Takatsuki is born. |
| 1944: Chunichi infielder Noboru Nishida is born. |
| 1938: Taiyo pitcher Masaru Koda is born. |
| 1935: Mainichi pitcher Tokayasu Tobe is born. |
| 1934: An MLB all star team arrives in Japan. |
| 1932: Yomiuri and Hiroshima catcher Susumu Munesue is born. |
| 1931: Daimai and Kokutetsu outfielder Kosei Komori is born. |
| 1930: Nishitetsu pitcher Mikio Yamaguchi is born. |
| 1925: Yomiuri catcher Sakio Shibata is born. |
| 2009: Former Hiroshima infielder Toshiyuki Mimura dies at age 61. |
| 2000: MLB conquers NPB 8-5 in an all star series. |
| 2000: Seibu releases outfielder Katsuhiro Hiratsuka. |
| 1998: Yokohama has a parade to celebrate its pennant. |
| 1998: At a meeting between NPB and MLB, an agreement is reached on the bidding process for Japanese players. |
| 1998: Daiei announces that it will sign former Hiroshima pitcher Tsutomu Yamada, ex-Yomiuri infielder Yudai Deguchi and erstwhile Kintetsu outfielder Kazuhito Moriyama after a tryout. |
| 1998: The International Baseball Federation announces that it is banning the use of aluminum bats during the Sydney Olympics in 2000. |
| 1996: MLB beats an all star team composed of Central League players 4-2 at Tokyo Dome. |
| 1994: Orix outfielder Kazuhiro “Punch” Sato retires. |
| 1993: Seibu pitcher Kimiyasu Kudoh and Yakult catchwer Atsuya Furuta are named the Pacific League and Central League respectively MVPs. |
| 1993: Yakult pitcher Tomohito Itoh and Seibu pitcher Kento Sugiyama are named Central League and Pacific League respectively Rookies of the Year. |
| 1993: In a friendship series, a team comprised of players from Daiei and Yomiuri kills the Dodgers 16-1. |
| 1990: Tokyo Giants infielder Osamu Tsutsui dies at age 73. |
| 1987: Taiyo outfielder Moriaki Sakamoto dies at age 53. |
| 1981: Nippon Ham pitcher Itsuki Shoda is born. |
| 1975: Hanshin, Seibu and Rakuten outfielder Fumikazu Takanami is born. |
| 1962: Hiroshima and Yokohama infielder Shinji Hara is born. |
| 1955: Kintetsu infielder Mark Cory is born. |
| 1954: Nankai and Hankyu Kenji Nakade is born. |
| 1949: The regular season resumes after it was interrupted by a visit from the San Francisco Seals. |
| 1948: Yomiuri pitcher Rich Kruger is born. |
| 1947: Nippon Ham and Hiroshima pitcher Yasuo Minagawa is born. |
| 1939: Yomiuri pitcher Terumi Nakao tosses a no hitter despite walking or hitting ten batters. |
| 1935: Chunichi, Taiyo and Tokyo Orions outfielder Toru Mori is born. |
| 1932: Osaka Tigers pitcher Yoshihiro Iwamura is born. |
| 1931: Daiei Stars infielder Nobusuke Kobayashi is born. |
| 1930: Taiyo infielder Nobuyuki Hikiji is born. |
| 1915: Nagoya outfielder Ichiji Shiraki is born. |
| 1914: Mainichi and Hankyu outfielder Katsuki Tokura is born. |
| 2000: MLB beats NPB 7-5 in an all star series. |
| 2000: Hanshin formally announces the addition of pitcher Buddy Carlyle and infielder Ivan Cruz. |
| 1999: Yomiuri first baseman Kazuhiro Kiyohara testifies in an attempted illegal intimidation case. |
| 1998: Daiei pitcher Kazuhiro Takeda announces that he will use his free agency rights. |
| 1997: Lotte pitcher Mike Fyhrie is released. |
| 1997: Yomiuri, Hankyu and Taiyo outfielder Noboru Aota dies at age 72. |
| 1996: Yomiuri infielder Kazushige Nagashima retires. |
| 1996: It is revealed that Orix pitcher Tsutomu Sakai has been released. |
| 1996: MLB edges NPB 2-1 in an all star series. |
| 1995: Chunichi acquires infielder Takeshi Aiko from Lotte for no compensation. |
| 1995: Orix outfielder Ichiro Suzuki’s uniform is displayed at a Korean baseball museum. |
| 1994: Yakult deals pitcher Naoyuki Naito to Lotte for catcher Susumu Aoyanagi. |
| 1994: Nippon Ham infielder Yutaka Takagi announces his retirement. |
| 1994: Hanshin releases outfielder Naoji Miyauchi. |
| 1993: Hanshin infielder Hiromi Matsunaga and Yomiuri infielder Norihiro Komada are formally declared free agents by the commissioner’s office. |
| 1993: Mainichi and Takahashi infielder Akira Hagiwara dies at age 66. |
| 1993: Lotte releases outfielder Darryl Motley. In addition, pitcher Shigeo Kobayashi announces his retirement. |
| 1990: Chunichi trades pitcher Munenao Ogawa to Kintetsu for catcher Koji Okada. |
| 1989: Yomiuri infielder Kiyoshi Nakahata announces his retirement. |
| 1988: The Hankyu Braves are renamed the Orix Braves. |
| 1987: Hankyu, Nankai and Hiroshima Kiyoharu Sakata dies at age 63. |
| 1981: Yomiuri infielder Ryota Wakiya is born. |
| 1980: Seibu infielder Keisuke Mizuta is born. |
| 1980: Yomiuri infielder Sadaharu Oh retires. |
| 1980: Hiroshima manager Takeshi Koba is given a Matsutaro Shoriki Award. |
| 1979: Hiroshima wins game seven of the Japan Series. |
| 1979: Seibu pitcher Kenichi Toriyabe is born. |
| 1974: Chunichi pitcher Melvin Bunch is born. |
| 1969: Nishitetsu coach Kazuhisa Inao is elevated to manager. |
| 1967: Taiyo and Chunichi pitcher Hiroaki Nakayama is born. |
| 1967: Daiei outfielder Ryan Thompson is born. |
| 1966: Chunichi catcher Koji Okada is born. |
| 1965: Hanshin outfielder Hideki Hashigami is born. |
| 1963: Yomiuri wins game seven of the Japan Series. |
| 1961: Nishitetsu manager Tokuji Kawasaki steps down. Infielder Futoshi Nakanishi is named playing manager. |
| 1951: Hankyu outfielder Kazumitsu Okamoto is born. |
| 1948: Yakult, Taiheiyo Club, Lotte and Chunichi pitcher Shoji Yasuki is born. |
| 1948: People are crushed and some die after they fall over each other during a game commemorating the15th anniversary of the founding of the Yomiuri Giants. |
| 1940: Yomiuri and Taiheiyo Club catcher Katsutoshi Miyadera is born. |
| 1939: Yomiuri pitcher Yukinori Miyata is born. |
| 1938: Hankyu catcher Hisashi Kimura is born. |
| 1926: Kintetsu pitcher Fumio Takechi is born. |
| 1918: Dai Tokyo and Lion outfielder Shichinosuke Sakurai is born. |
| 2001: Nippon Ham releases pitcher Scott Sanders. |
| 2001: Boston pitcher Hideo Nomo delcares free agency. |
| 2000: The NPB contingent massacres one from MLB 14-2. |
| 2000: Lotte infielder Kazuya Fukuura is diagnosed with a hernia. |
| 2000: Former Yomiuri catcher Hidekazu Yoneyama is signed by Lotte. |
| 2000: Yakult and Daiei pitcher Hikaru Takano commits suicide at age 39. |
| 1999: Lotte infielder Masahiro Takahashi retires. |
| 1999: Chunichi releases outfielder Shigeki Oto. |
| 1999: Hanshin pitcher Atsunori Itoh declares free agency. |
| 1999: Daiei infielder Koichiro Yoshinaga withdraws his intention to resort to free agency. |
| 1997: Chunichi pitcher Katsuyoshi Murata retires. |
| 1996: Nippon Ham outfielder Shinichi Igarashi retires. |
| 1996: Former Yomiuri pitcher Ryu Hanekawa passes a tryout for Lotte. |
| 1995: Orix holds its pennant victory parade. |
| 1993: Seibu releases outfielder Ken Hirano. |
| 1993: Orix sells pitcher Kiyoshi Sagawa to Nippon Ham. |
| 1992: Yomiuri decides to release infielder Hiroki Fujioka. |
| 1991: Hiroshima deals outfielder Takashi Osanai to Taiyo for infielder Toshio Choshi. |
| 1991: Taiyo pitcher Satoshi Ishikawa is traded to Nippon Ham for pitcher Naoya Shimada. |
| 1990: Nippon Ham trades outfielder Makoto Shimada to Daiei for infielderr Chisen Sakaguchi. |
| 1990: Chunichi moves infielder Hiroyuki Sato to Nippon Ham for outfielder Yoshihisa Komatsuzaki. |
| 1989: Kintetsu outfielder Shigeru Kurihashi retires. |
| 1988: The MLB-NPB all star series opens. |
| 1976: Orix pitcher Kazuya Motoyanagi is born. |
| 1975: Keiji Ozawa assumes the managerial post at Nippon Ham. |
| 1971: Hanshin outfielder Hiroshi Yoshida is born. |
| 1971: Yokohama pitcher Yosuke Nishizawa is born. |
| 1970: Hiroshima pitcher Carlos Rivera is born. |
| 1970: Yakult infielder Shinya Miyamoto is born. |
| 1969: Nankai catcher Katsuya Nomura takes over as the club’s playing manager. |
| 1967: Seibu infielder Brian Raabe is born. |
| 1959: Yomiuri outfielder Lloyd Moseby is born. |
| 1957: Hanshin pitcher Nobuhisa Endo is born. |
| 1956: Lotte pitcher Hitoshi Wakabayashi is born. |
| 1952: Hiroshima, Hankyu and Yomiuri pitcher Hiroaki Nagamoto is born. |
| 1948: It is discovered that Saikyo HIgh School pitcher Shigeji Kitamoto has signed contracts with both Hanshin and Taiyo. Taiyo eventually ended up keeping him. |
| 1947: Taiheiyo Club, Hanshin and Hankyu catcher Shinnosuke Kataoka is born. |
| 1947: Nishitetsu pitcher Junichi Kaneko is born. |
| 1946: The regular season schedule ends, with Kinki Great Ring (Nankai) finishing on top. |
| 1946: Tokyo Senators outfielder Hiroshi Oshita becomes the first man to slug 20 hoemrs in a season. |
| 1942: Hankyu catcher Yukiyoshi Okada is born. |
| 1942: Hiroshima outfielder Richie Scheinblum is born. |
| 1932: Toei and Taiyo infielder Stanely Hashimoto is born. |
| 2006: Yomiuri trades second baseman Toshihisa Nishi to Yokohama in exchange for catcher Masakuni Odajima and cash. |
| 2006: Chunichi informs outfielder Alex Ochoa that it will not ask him back for 2007. |
| 2001: Kintetsu cancels its pennant celebration trip. |
| 2001: Seattlke outfielder Ichiro is named a Gold Glove winner. |
| 2001: The 34th annual Baseball World Cup Tournament gets underway. |
| 2000: NPB fines Daiei 30 million yen for not being able to finish its schedule on time and endangering the scheduling of the Japan Series. The money was contributed to world youth baseball organizations, the Japan Softball Association and the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. |
| 2000: Ex-Yakult and Daiei pitcher Hikaru Takano commits suicide at age 39. |
| 2000: Ya,ult sells pitcher Hiroto Kato to Kintetsu. |
| 2000: Seattle closer Kazuhiro Sasaki is named American League Rookie of the Year. |
| 1999: NPB beats the KBO 5-2 in an all star game. |
| 1999: Yakuolt announces that former Orix pitcher Hirotsugu Maeda has passed a tryout. |
| 1998: An MLB all star team beats Yomiuri 4-1. |
| 1998: Yakult sells outfielder Shinji Hata to Nippon Ham. |
| 1997: Yakult pitcher Hiroto Watanabe has surgery to remove bone chips from his left elbow. |
| 1996: Chunichi pitcher Tadashi Kashima retires. |
| 1996: An MLB all star team ties with one from NPB at Fukuoka Dome. |
| 1995: Hasnhin signs former Yokohama outfielder Akimasa Yokotani and ex-Hiroshima pitcher Akinori Takahashi. |
| 1995: Kintetsu acquires Nippon Ham outfielder Terushi Nakajima off of waivers. |
| 1995: Hiroshima pitcher Robinson Checo submits a demand for the revocation of his contract. |
| 1994: Seibu pitcher Kimiyasu Kudoh declares free agency. He would ultimately end up with Daiei. |
| 1993: Seibu releases catcher Takayoshi Nakao. |
| 1992: Taiyo pitchers Kazuhiko Endo and Kenichi Shiozaki as well as catcher Akiyoshi Koyama and outfielder Michio Aoyama all retire. |
| 1992: Yakult outfielder Tetsuya Iida has shoulder surgery. |
| 1991: Hiroshima announces the retirement of pitcher Tsunemi Tsuda due to illness. |
| 1991: Hiroshima announces the signing of infielder Marty Brown. |
| 1991: Taiyo sends pitcher Yoshio Niiura to Daiei in exchange for catcher Yoshiki Otsuka. |
| 1983: Hiroshima infielder Yoshihiko Yamamoto is born. |
| 1979: Nippon Ham infielder Naoto Inada is born. |
| 1972: Daiei and Rakuten pitcher Matt Skrmetta is born. |
| 1966: Emperor Hirohito attends a game between the Dodgers and one comprised of Japanese all stars. Shigeo Nagashima leads the NPB squad with three hits, one of them a homer that gave Japan the first lead of the night. |
| 1965: Seiubu pitcher Brian Givens is born. |
| 1964: Kintetsu pitcher Masahiko Yota is born. |
| 1960: Yakult catcher Chikashi Nakanishi is born. |
| 1956: Chunichi and Lotte pitcher Masakatsu Tsuchiya is born. |
| 1948: Taiyo and Crown pitcher Yoshihiro Takagaki is born. |
| 1947: Kintetsu infielder Chris Arnold is born. |
| 1945: The resumption of the Japanese pro baseball league is anounced following consultation with the American occupation authorities. and the Tokyo Senators are admitted to it. This club had some of the same personnel as the previous team that went by that name, but with different ownership. They eventually became the Nippon Ham Fighters. |
| 1942: Hanshin pitcher Yasuo Yamamoto is born. |
| 1941: Hanshin outfielder Hajime Tomie is born. |
| 1915: Nagoya, Tokyo Senators and Asahi infielder Tsugio Iwata is born. |
| 2006: Softbank manager Sadaharu Oh is given the Matsutaro Shoriki Award, his fourth, the most times anyone has been so honored. |
| 2006: Orix trades outfielder Yoshitomo Tani to Yomiuri in exchange for pitcher Takashi Kamoshida and infielder Masahiro Nagata. Orix also releases outfielder Karim Garcia. |
| 2006: Yakult signs pitcher Masataka Endo. |
| 2005: Yomiuri releases outfielder Tuffy Rhodes. |
| 2005: Softbank releases pitcher Daiki Mizoguchi. |
| 2005: Former Hiroshima, Hankyu and Chunichi infielder Mitsuo Imazu dies of lung cancer at age 67. |
| 2001: In the Baseball World Cup, Japan coldcocks the Phillipines 21-0. |
| 2000: NPB nd MLB lock up in a 2-2 tie in an all star series. |
| 2000: Daiei releases outfielder Melvin Nieves. |
| 2000: Kintetsu infielder Koji Muto has surgery to fix his injured right shoulder. |
| 2000: Hyundai wins the KBO championship. |
| 1999: Japan gets by Korea in an all star game 5-3. |
| 1998: MLB pushes NPB aside 8-1 in an all star series. |
| 1998: Seibu announces that it will move outfielder Makoto Sasaki to Hanshin. |
| 1997: Hanshin announces the acquisition of infielder Dave Hansen. |
| 1997: Yokohama announces that former Yomiuri outfielder Katsuya Kishikawa has passed a tryout. |
| 1996: Nippon Ham releases pitchers Kojiro Sakai, Yasukatsu Shirai, Yasushi Funayama, Shin Yamaguchi and Toshio Tajima as well as infielder Noriyuki Mori and outfielder Yoshihiro Suzuki are all released. |
| 1996: Hiroshima announces the addition of former Chunichi pitcher Akira Uehara. |
| 1996: An MLB all star team downs one from NPB 11-8. |
| 1995: Nippon Ham releases pitcher Toru Okamoto, infielder Yoshinori Sumiyoshi and outfielder Masakazu Maeki. |
| 1994: Kintetsu trades pitcher Hideyuki Awano to Yomiuri for pitcher Isao Koda. |
| 1994: Chunichi sells pitcher Hiroshi Tsuno to Lotte. |
| 1994: Hanshin releases infielder Shigeyuki Yamaguchi. |
| 1994: It is revealed that Seibu has decided to hire Osamu Higashio as its next manager. |
| 1994: Orix pitcher Yukihiko Yamaoki declares free agency. |
| 1991: Orix pitcher Masayoshi Yagi retires. |
| 1990: Former Seibu pitcher Shintaro Hirose and infielder Masakazu Seike are both formally signed by Yakult. |
| 1989: Yutaka Sudo takes over the managerial reigns at Taiyo. |
| 1983: Seibu catcher Koichi Tabuchi is given a Matsutaro Shoriki Award. |
| 1983: Nippon Ham pitcher Tomoya Yagi is born. |
| 1973: Lotte and Hanshin outfielder Kenichiro Hayakawa is born. |
| 1968: Chunichi, Orix and Rakuten infielder Takeshi Yamasaki is born. |
| 1959: An all star game is held at Heiwadai Stadium to help fund a Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. |
| 1954: Chunichi wins game seven of the Japan Series to clinch its first ever championship. |
| 1954: Yomiuri travels to play games in Australia and the Phillipines. |
| 1952: Hiroshima and Nankai infielder Akio Nakao is born. |
| 1951: Yomiuri infielder Kazumasa Kono is born. |
| 1951: Nishitetsu pitcher Tadaaki Sakaguchi is born. |
| 1950: Shociku outfielder Makoto Kozuru slugs his 50th homer, the first man ever to do that. |
| 1947: Hankyu outfielder Yutaka Fukumoto is born. |
| 1946: Toei, Lotte and Hiroshima pitcher Tamehiro Kaneda is born. |
| 1941: Nankai and Kintetsu infielder Clarence Jones is born. |
| 1939: Tokyo Giants pitcher Victor Starfin becomes the first man ever to 100 career wins. |
| 1934: Kintetsu pitcher Takeo Shigemura is born. |
| 1932: Taiyo infielder Dick Stuart is born. |
| 1930: Chunichi, Takahashi, Daiei Stars and Kintetsu pitcher Akiro Kato is born. |
| 1926: Tokyu outfielder Katsumi Yamasaki is born. |
| 1921: Nishitetsu catcher Hiroyuki Goto is born. |
| 1918: Chunichi outfielder Shuzo Kayano is born. |
| 1918: Nagoya and Hanshin infielder Ichizo Murase is born. |
| 1917: Goldstar, Tokyu, Nishi Nihon and Nishitetsu infielder Hatsuo Kiyohara is born. |
| 2005: Yomiuri releases pitchers Scott Mullen and Bart Miadich. |
| 2002: Hankyu outfielder Masao Nishimura dies at age 90. |
| 2002: Japan gets creamed by Cuba 20-8 in the Intercontinental Cup. |
| 2001: Yakult infielder Katsuyuki Dobashi has surgery to remove bone spurs in his left heel. |
| 2001: Yomiuri pitcher Hiroaki Aoki dies at age 64. |
| 2001: In the Baseball World Cup, Japan crushes Panama 10-0. |
| 2000: An MLB all star team topples one from NPB 5-1. |
| 2000: Yakult releases pitchers Jason Jacome and Don Lemon. |
| 2000: Yakult announces the signings of pitchers Alan Newman and Jonathan Hurst. |
| 2000: Hanshin decides to release outfielder Tony arrasco and infielder Jason Hartke. |
| 2000: Seibu pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka has a surgical procedure to improve his vision (Lasik?). |
| 1999: Yakult announces the addition of Brazilian-Japanese outfielder Rodrigo Matsumoto. |
| 1998: MLB outlasts NPB 10-7 in an all star series. |
| 1996: Seibu decides to sign pitchers Brian Givens and Robert Wishnevsky. |
| 1996: Yokohama releases pitcher Atsunori Itoh as well as outfielder Tomiji Iizuka. |
| 1996: Lotte releases infielder Hideaki Watanabe. |
| 1995: Chunichi releases pitchers Koichi Morita and Kenichi Sasaki as well as infielder Shigeru Shimada. |
| 1995: Kintetsu pitcher Masami Yamada, catcher Shuichiro Yasuda and outfielder Masaki Kato all retire. |
| 1994: Yakult first baseman Katsumi Hirosawa declares free agency. |
| 1994: Seibu infielder Hiromichi Ishige declares free agency. |
| 1994: Hiroshima pitcher Kazuhisa Kawaguchi declares free agency. |
| 1994: Chunichi pitcher Dwayne Henry is released. |
| 1994: Yakult decides it will release infielder Jack Howell and outfielder Jerald Clark. |
| 1993: Chunichi catcher Koji Okada retires. |
| 1993: Former Chunichi outfielder Toyozo Minamimura signs with Hanshin. |
| 1993: Yokohama releases pitchers Yutaka Matsumoto and Kazuhiko Daimon, icatcher Kazumasa Ichikawa, infielderYutaka Takagi and outfielders Kanamae Yashiki and Kenichi Yamazaki. |
| 1992: The NPB-MLB all star series ends, with the big leaguers winning six, losing one and tying one. |
| 1990: Lotte sells catcher Takumi Saito to Orix. |
| 1990: Nippon Ham cuts pitchers Hirohisa Takada and Hiroshi Watanabe, as well as infielder Hinji Oki and outfielder Tetsuhisa Sadaoka loose. |
| 1987: Korakuen Stadium, the home of the Yomiuri Giants for 50 seasons, closes. |
| 1985: Seibu manager Tatsuro Hirooka retires. Coach Masaaki Mori is named his successor. |
| 1983: Orix pitcher Chihiro Kaneko is born. |
| 1983: Hiroshima outfielder Soichiro Amaya is born. |
| 1980: Chunichi infielder Morimichi Takagi retires. |
| 1980: Hiroshima pitcher Victor Marte is born. |
| 1980: Seibu catcher Tatsuyuki Uemoto is born. |
| 1979: Daiei infielder Takashi Sasagawa is born. |
| 1978: The first Matsutaro Shoriki Award is handed out to Yomiuri first baseman Sadaharu Oh. |
| 1975: Nippon Ham infielder Makoto Kaneko is born. |
| 1975: Daiei pitcher Shigeru Kimura is born. |
| 1967: Yakult outfielder Eric Anthony is born. |
| 1966: Nankai gets the negotiating rights to Ryukoku University outfielder Takeshi Matsumuro , but it then comes to light that he is only a junior and this those rights are nullified. Nankai would later draft Matsumuro, but he never made it into a big club game during his career. |
| 1966: Lotte outfielder Mitsuchika Hirai is born. |
| 1963: Orix infielder Hiroshi Fujimoto is born. |
| 1960: Yakult pitcher Sadao Oyama is born. |
| 1959: An all star game is held iat Hiroshima Municipal Stadium to help fund the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. |
| 1950: Chunichi infielder Michio Nishizawa slugs his fifth grand slam of the season. |
| 1942: The schedule ends with Yomiuri finishing on top. |
| 1933: Taiyo pitcher Masao Kanda is born. |
| 1931: Waseda University’s baseball team takes a 5-1 lead over an MLB all star nine at Meiji Jingu Stadium. At one point, First baseman and cleanup hitter Lou Gehrig even takes the mound just to pump the crowd up. Unfortunately for the collegians, though, the big leaguers score seven unanswered run and then are summarily blown away by Lefty Grove over the final two innings (he strikes out all six men he faces on a total of 21 pitches) to go down to defeat. Evn the radio announcer was telling his audience that he couldn’t see what Grove was delivering, he was throwing so hard. The MLB side went 17-0 in that series. |
| 1923: Takahashi catcher Sal Recca is born. |
| 1922: Tokyu Senators and Toei catcher Keiichiro Suzuki is born. |
| 1913: Nankai infielder Yoshitaro Suzuki is born. |
| 2005: Rakuten releases infielder Luis Lopez. |
| 2001: Nippon Ham announces the addition of former Kintetsu pitcher Kazuya Shibata. |
| 2001: In the Baseball World Cup, Japan slams Russia 12-0. |
| 2000: The deadline to submit beds for posted Orix outfielder Ichiro Suzuki ends. The winning bid is $13.125 million. |
| 2000: NPB slips by MLB 1-0 in an all star series. |
| 1999: Hiroshima infielder Akira Etoh declares he will test the free agent waters. |
| 1999: In game three of an all star series between the KBO and NPB, Korea eeks out a 3-2 victory. |
| 1998: Yakult releases outfielder Ozzie Timmons and infielder Eric Anthony. |
| 1996: NPB beats MLB 6-4 at Yokohama Stadium in an all star series. |
| 1995: Dodgers righthander Hideo Nomo is named National League Rookie of the Year. |
| 1994: Lotte sells outfielder Mel Hall to Chunichi. |
| 1993: Hiroshima releases pitchers Kiyotaka Nishi and Masayoshi Oishi. |
| 1993: Hanshin infielder Hiromi Matsunaga declares he will use his free agsency rights. He will eventually sign with Daiei, thus becoming the first man to move to another team since fre agency was instituted. |
| 1992: Hanshin releases outfielder Yoshiie Tachibana. |
| 1990: Former Hiroshima pitcher Satoshi Kurita will sign with Kintetsu, it is revealed. |
| 1988: Daiei sends outfielder Hiromitsu Kadota to Hankyu for pitchers Kenji Harada, Takayuki Shirai and catcher Tsuyoshi Uchida. |
| 1981: Nagoya Golden Dolphins, Taiyo, Yomiuri and Hiroshima infielder Takenori Yamakawa dies at age 59. |
| 1979: Kintetsu manager Yukio Nishimoto is given the Matsutaro Shoriki Award. |
| 1979: Hanshin outfielder Takahiro Shoda is born. |
| 1978: Softbank pitcher Jayson Stanridge is born. |
| 1971: Orix outfielder Jon Nunnally is born. |
| 1962: Chunichi outfielder Dion James is born. |
| 1959: Lotte pitcher Tetsuro Nagashima is born. |
| 1955: Chunichi outfielder Tsuneo Hirata is born. |
| 1948: Kintetsu pitcher Toshiharu Kadono is born. |
| 1947: Crown Prince Akihito takes in a game between the Tokyu Flyers and the Daiei Stars. |
| 1945: Toei outfielder Hisashi Sedohara is born. |
| 1939: Pitcher Victor Starfin cracks a sayonara hit to lock up a pennant for the Tokyo Giants. It was his fourth sayonara knock of the campaign, one in which he won 42 games. Moreover, at the time, the four sayonaras was a Japan record, one that would stand for 30 years. |
| 1934: Mainichi pitcher Fumio Sugio is born. |
| 2006: Hanshin announces that pitcher Kei Igawa will be put up for bid via the posting system to MLB. |
| 2005: Chunichi signs outfielder Yoshinori Ueda. |
| 2002: The NPB-MLB All Star Series opens at Tokyo Dome with a game between the Yomiuri Giants and the MLB contingent. |
| 2001: Chunichi pitcher Shinji Imanaka retires. |
| 2001: Japan beats Cuba 5-3 in the Baseball World Cup, ending Cuba’s 46 game winning streak in international play. |
| 2000: It is announced that Seattle has won the bidding for posted Orix outfielder Ichiro Suzuki. |
| 2000: Yokohama fornally announces the additions of pitchers Shane Bowers and Mark Holzemer as well as infielders John Zuber and Dave Doster. |
| 1999: Seibu announces that former Chunichi outfielder Kenichiro Idemoto has passed a tryout with the club. |
| 1999: Daiei infielder Nobuhiko Matsunaka undergoes surgery to repair a right middle finger ligament. |
| 1999: An all star game between the KBO and NPB ends in an 8-8 tie. Japan is up in the series 2-1-1. |
| 1998: NPB whips MLB 6-2 in an all star game. |
| 1997: Negotiations between Hiroshima and infielder Luis Lopez break off. |
| 1996: MLB and NPB tie 8-8 at Tokyo Dome in an all star series faceoff. The series thus ends with MLB prevailing four games to two with two ties. Steve Finely is named series MVP. |
| 1994: Yomiuri decides that it will move outfielder Yoshihiro Nishioka to Lotte. Nishioka was used mostly and effectively as a platoon man against lefties. |
| 1993: Hanshin pitcher Kiminobu Nakamura retires. |
| 1993: Yakult releases pitchers Hikaru Takano, Kenichi Uchiyama and Kazutaka Ikematsu as well as catchers Takayoshi Kiminami and Takefumi Amano and outfielders Yasuhiro Suzuki and Masao Yanada. |
| 1992: Hanshin puts pitchers Shuji Fujimoto and Yoshiaki Nishikawa on waivers. |
| 1991: The all star series between the KBO and NPB ends. |
| 1982: Former Osaka Tigers and Hiroshima manager Shuichi Ishimoto dies at age 86. |
| 1980: Yokohama infielder Katsuaki Furuki is born. |
| 1976: Yakult pitcher Ryu Kawabata is born. |
| 1975: Yokohama pitcher Jason Turman is born. |
| 1974: Chunichi pitcher Hitoki Iwase is born. |
| 1972: Hiroshima, Yakult and Orix infielder Greg LaRocca is born. |
| 1969: Nippon Ham and Chunichi pitcher Akira Igarashi is born. |
| 1957: Chunichi and Nippon Ham pitcher Yasuji Sota is born. |
| 1956: Chunichi pitcher Michitake Takahashi is born. |
| 1950: Shochiku clinches the first Central League pennant. Outfielder Makoto Kozuru hammers a record 51st homer. |
| 1949: Yomiuri first baseman Tetsuharu Kawakami attains 1000 hits. |
| 1946: Crown Lighter and Taiyo infielder Mitsuo Motoi is born. |
| 1946: Chunichi infielder Hiroaki Suzuki is born. |
| 1940: Nippon Ham catcher Koji Okamura is born. |
| 1910: Hankyu pitcher Yukio Nishimura is born. |
| 2005: Chunichi signs pitcher Denny Tomori. |
| 2001: Nankai pitcher Tadashi Sugiura dies at age 66. |
| 2001: As part of its 70th anniversary celebration, a Tokyo Metropolitan University League all star teams beats a squad comprised of former pros who are alumni of the league’s member institutions 6-4. |
| 2000: An MLB all star team beats a similarly composed NPB outfit 5-4. |
| 2000: Nankai Hawks pitcher Tadashi Sugiura dies at age 66. |
| 1998: An MLB all star team edges one form NPB 1-0. |
| 1998: Mainichi, Takahashi and Daiei Stars outfielder Takayuki Kuriki dies at age 69. |
| 1997: Nippon Ham releases infielder Billy Ray Munoz. |
| 1996: Kintetsu signs pitcher Bob Milacki and infielder Phil Clark. |
| 1995: Hanshin infielder Akinobu Mayumi says that he is retiring. |
| 1994: Hanshin announces the acquisition of infielder Glenn Davis. |
| 1994: Yokohama sends pitchers Yoshitaska Mizuo and Takashi Watabe as well as infielder Kenji Horie to Orix for pitcher Atsunori Itoh and infielder Tomiji Iizuka. |
| 1994: Seibu decides it will release infielder Mike Pagliarulo and outfielder Rod Brewer. |
| 1993: The NPB commissioner’s office announces that Yomiuri pitcher Hiromi Makihara has declared free agency. |
| 1993: Daiei acquires infielder Brain Traxler. |
| 1993: Seibu releases pitchers Kazuhito Nishimoto and Tetsuya Haraguchi. |
| 1992: Chunichi releases pitcher Scott Anderson. |
| 1992: Seibu pitcher Michihisa Kayoda as well as infielder Toshiro Maeda and outfielder Hiroki Kokubo all announce their retirements. |
| 1992: Nippon Ham pitcher Satoshi Morimoto and outfielders Mike Marshall and Junji Ogawa all retire. |
| 1992: Yokohama officially changes its nickname to the Bay Stars. |
| 1990: The all star series between MLB and NPB ends with the Japanese side winning its first ever series against a big league nine. |
| 1983: Yomiuri pitcher Tetsuya Yamaguchi is born. |
| 1978: Lotte oufielder Val Pascucci is born. |
| 1971: Daiei pitcher Ryan Hancock is born. |
| 1969: Daiei and Yakult infielder Chihiro Hamana is born. |
| 1949: Hiroshima and Yakult outfielder Shoji Kawai is born. |
| 1947: The regular season schedule ends. |
| 1946: Nishitetsu pitcher Keizo Akiba is born. |
| 1936: Takahashi pitcher Kozo Shibahara is born. |
| 1935: Nishitetsu and Hiroshima pitcher Morikazu Sagawa is born. |
| 1932: Yakult outfielder Katsumi Ukai is born. |
| 1930: Hankyu pitcher Eiji Shibata is boen. |
| 1906: Due to passions running too high in the Waseda University-Keio University rivalry, it is decided that the two teams will not play each other again. This ban would last fro more than three decades. |
| 2001: Daiei pitcher Soji Tanaka has left elbow surgery. |
| 2001: Seattle outfielder Ichiro Suzuki is named American League Rookie of the Year. |
| 2000: The MLB all stars beat the NPB all stars 5-4. Barry Bonds is named MVP. |
| 1998: The MLB all stars beat a similar NPB club 2-0. |
| 1998: Daiei releases infielder Luis Lopez and pitcher Brain Williams. |
| 1998: Kintetsu announces that former Chunichi pitcher Hiroshi Hirata has passed a tryout and will be added to the roster. |
| 1998: The teardown of Osaka Stadium, the one time home to the Nankai Hawks, begins. |
| 1996: Hiroshima decides to sign former Nippon Ham pitcher Yasukatsu Shirai and ex-Lotte hurler Kotaro Azuse. |
| 1993: Yokohama announces the addition of pitcher Darryl Scott. |
| 1993: Lotte sells outfielder Kiyoyuki Nagashima to Hanshin. |
| 1993: Yakult releases pitcher Koji Mori. |
| 1992: Hiroshima announces the signing of outfielder Luis Medina. |
| 1992: Hanshin releases outfielder Eiji Kanamori. |
| 1990: Seibu infielder Kazuhiro Kiyohara becomes the youngest in history to 100 million yen. |
| 1990: Hankyu catcher Michio Wanaka dies at age 62. |
| 1988: Chunichi signs outfielder George Hinshaw. |
| 1987: Yomiuri pitcher Suguru Egawa retires. |
| 1983: Softbank pitcher Keisuke Katto is born. |
| 1981: Junzo Sekine takes over as Taiyo manager. |
| 1974: Nippon Ham outfielder Katsuhiro Nishiura is born. |
| 1961: Hiroshima, Chunichi, Lotte and Hanshin outfielder Kiyoyuki Nagashima is born. |
| 1952: Kintetsu and Hiroshima pitcher Yasuo Fukui is born. |
| 1947: Osaka wins the pannant. |
| 1945: Chunichi outfielder Kyohei Taniki is born. |
| 1944: Hiroshima infielder Hikaru Amamoto is born. |
| 1937: Chunichi outfielder Takamasa Shinbo is born. |
| 1935: Kokutetsu infielder Shuichiro Nakamura is born. |
| 1923: Tokyu, Taiyo Whales, Shochiku and Hiroshima pitcher Hiroshi Katayama is born. |
13
| 2007: Former Nishitetsu pitcher Kazuhisa Inao dies of cancer at age 70. |
| 2006: Rakuten signs pitchers Tsuyoshi Kawagishi and Masaru Yoshizaki following a tryout. |
| 2000: Lotte signs outfielder Derrick May. |
| 1999: Chunichi signs former Brother Elephants pitcher Katsushi Shirasaka. He will never see any big club action, though. |
| 1999: Taichiung wins the sixth game of Taiwan Major League championship series to take it all 4-2. |
| 1997: Yakult releases pitcher Terry Bross. |
| 1997: Chunnichi announces that former Hanshin pitcher Takashi Inomata and ex-Nippon Ham infielder Hideyuki Yasuda have passed a tryout and will be added to the roster. |
| 1996: Lotte sells pitcher Eric Hillman to Yomiuri. |
| 1996: Seibu free agent first baseman Kazuhiro Kiyohara meets with Yomiuri negotiators for the first time. |
| 1996: Yakult sells outfielder Hideki Hashigami to Nippon Ham. |
| 1996: Hanshin announces the formal signing of infielder Phil Hiatt. |
| 1996: Kintetsu releases pitchers Katsuhito Kosaka, Toru Yoshida and Masaaki Kamanaka as well as infielder Satoru Ota. |
| 1996: Yokohama Bay Stars pitcher Kazuhiro Sasaki asks to be allowed to go to MLB. |
| 1994: Nippon Ham decides to sign outfielders Rob Ducey and Tim McIntoshi. |
| 1992: Lotte announces the acquisition of outfielder Mel Hall. |
| 1992: Hiroshima trades pitcher Kenichi Otsuka to Seibu for pitcher Koji Maeda. |
| 1991: Soroku Yagi takes over as Lotte manager. Former skiper Masaichi Kaneda is promoted into the front office. |
| 1990: Taiyo signs outfielder R.J. Reynolds. |
| 1990: Hankyu infielder Bobby Marcano dies. |
| 1989: Hiroshima trades pitchers Yoshihisa Shiratake and Masashi Sugimoto as well as infielder Yoshihiko Takahashi to Lotte for infielder Yoshio Mizukami and outfielder Hideaki Takazawa. |
| 1981: Softbank catcher Hiroyuki Takaya is born. |
| 1981: Kazuyoshi Yamamoto takes over as Lotte manager. |
| 1981: Yokohama pitcher Teruaki Yoshikawa is born. |
| 1972: Chunichi and Seibu pitcher Eiji Shotsu is born. |
| 1965: Kintetsu, Seibu and Chunichi pitcher Kazuyoshi Ono is born. |
| 1955: Taiyo pitcher Shusaku Uchida is born. |
| 1951: A team of Pacific League all stars beats an MLB contingent in a game, the first time that has ever happened. |
| 1951: Yakult outfielder Larry Harlow is born. |
| 1945: Hiroshima infielder Eiji Shimomura is born. |
| 1944: The Japanese Porfessional Baseball League announces that it will cease activity due to the war for the time being. |
| 1939: Nankai infielder Wes Parker is born. |
| 1935: Mainichi infielder Masaaki Arimachi is born. |
| 1921: Hanshin pitcher Hachiro Miwa is born. |
| 2005: Chunichi signs pitcher Kenichi Toriyabe. |
| 2001: It comes to light that the Japan tax authorities interrogated several Hanshin players to ask them what they know about manager Katsuya Nomura’s wife’s tax situation. |
| 2000: Yakult announces the signing of outfielder Alex Ramirez. |
| 2000: Lotte claims Yakult pitcher Jason Jacome off of waivers. However, they never reach agreement with him. |
| 1998: The MLB all stars rout the NPB side 9-0. |
| 1997: Seibu announces that former Lions pitcher Koichi Taniguchi and ex-Chunichi pitcher Sadaharu Hiranuma have passed a tryout and they will be added to the roster. |
| 1996: Former Lotte catcher Fujio Tamura agrees to sign with Daiei. |
| 1996: Yokohama sells infielder Masahiro Takahashi to Lotte. |
| 1996: Hanshin releases pitcher Hiroaki Hattori, infielders Akinori Kidachi and Kazuteru Yamashita and outfielder Kazuhiko Ishimine. |
| 1995: Lotte releases outfielder Tadahiko Irei. |
| 1995: Nippon Ham releases infielder Hiroo Fujioka. |
| 1990: Tokyo University pitcher Itaru Kobayashi tries out for Lotte. He will eventually be signed and spent two years with the team. He never managed to get into any action at the top level and retired, eventually getting an MBA from Columbia University and becoming a sportswriter after a stint at the Golf Channel. |
| 1989: Chunichi trades outfielders Yasuharu Fujio and Yoshihisa Komatsuzaki to Nippon Ham for pitcher Yukio Tanaka and outfielder Kazuo Hayakawa. |
| 1985: The Pacific League abolishes its playoff system. |
| 1977: Seibu hires Rikuo Nemoto as its manager. |
| 1969: Hanshin names pitcher Minoru Murayama as a playing manager. |
| 1968: Chunichi hires Shigeru Mizuhara as its manager. |
| 1968: Hanshin promotes coach Tsugio Goto to the manager’s slot. |
| 1963: Orix, Hanshin and Nippon Ham pitcher Katsuyuki Furumizo is born. |
| 1963: Yomiuri catcher Koji Yamamoto is born. |
| 1954: Seibu and Lotte outfielder Fumimune Tokuyama is born. |
| 1952: Yomiuri and Hanshin pitcher Shigeru Kobayashi is born. |
| 1950: Hiroshima drops both ends of a doubleheader to Taiyo at Korakuen Stadium to extend its losing streak to 13, a team record that still stands. |
| 1950: Hanshin pinch runner Takayuki Kusuhashi is born. |
| 1936: Hankyu’s Fumihito Horio rips a triple in each of three consecutive innings, the first time that had ever occurred. Also, his three triples in a game set a record. It has been equaled four times, but hasn’t been done since 1976. |
| 1917: Nagoya Golden Dolphins, Asahi and Taiyo infielder Yoshio Gomi is born. |
| 2006: Boston wins the bidding for Seibu pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka for $51,111,111.11 in easily the most expensive transaction between NPB and MLB ever. |
| 2006; Softbank announces that it has acquirted pitcher C.J. Nitkowski and outfielder Adam Hyzdu. They also announce the releases of infielder Jolbert Cabrera and pitcher D.J. Carrasco. |
| 2005: Hanshin trades pitcher Katsuhiko Maekawa to Orix in exchange for pitcher Takashi Aiki. |
| 2001: Maruha, which owns the Yokohama Bay Stars, reaches an agreement for Nippon Broadcasting to buy the team. However, they are a subsidiary of Fuji-Sankei, which also owns an interest in the Yakult Swallows, setting off a tirade by Yomiuri owner Tsuneo Watanabe that the transaction is illegal under Japanese rules. |
| 2001: Chunichi announces that former Orix pitchers Satoshi Kuriyama and Masahiro Kimura was well as outfielder Jiro Fujitate have all passed a tryout and will be added to the roster. |
| 2001: Hiroshima infielder Kazunori Okagami has surgery on his right knee to remove loose cartilage. |
| 1999: Chunichi announces that they have sent pitchers Ken Kadokura, Kotaro Azuse and Takuichi Furuike to Kintetsu in exchange for Hideo Koike and Shigeki Sano as well as infielder Kazuhito Yoshimura. |
| 1999: Orix releases pitcher Yoshitaka Nagata. |
| 1998: An MLB all star team edges the NPB all stars 9-8. Sammy Sosa is named the game’s MVP. |
| 1997: Hiroshima announces that pitchers Erik Schullstrom and Rafael Orellano have passed a tryout and will be added to the roster. |
| 1996: Hanshin enters negotiations with Seibu free agent slugger Kazuhiro Kiyohara. However, the would eventually sign with Yomiuri. |
| 1996: Yakult announces that it has signed former Kintetsu infielder Taiki Nobayashi. |
| 1995: Hanshin releases infielders Mitsuharu Yamawaki and Akinobu Mayumi. |
| 1994: Hanshin announces the formal signing of infielder Scott Coolbaugh. |
| 1994: Chunichi pitcher Shinichi Kondo retires. |
| 1993: Yomiuri signs outfielder Dan Gladden and pitcher Jimmy Jones. |
| 1993: Yokohama pitcher Akio Saito announces his retirement. |
| 1990: Seibu sells infielder Ty VanBurkleo to Hiroshima. |
| 1990: Seibu signs pitcher Ray Young. |
| 1990: Yakult sells pitcher Eijiro Ai to Lotte. |
| 1989: Yomiuri sends catcher Shuzo Arita to Daiei for no compensation. |
| 1989: Seibu trades pitcher Yukihiro Narita to Taiyo for pitcher Kazuhiko Takahashi. |
| 1980: Seibu catcher Katsuya Nomura retires. |
| 1972: Hanshin pitcher Darwin Cubillan is born. |
| 1964: Kokutetsu pitcher Masaichi Kaneda excercises his right as a player with ten years experience and refuses to re-sign with the team. |
| 1963: Chunichi and Hanshin infielder Yasuaki Taiho is born. |
| 1961: Yakult infielder Takehiko Kobayakawa is born. |
| 1958: Taiyo and Lotte pitcher Tsuneo Horii is born. |
| 1953: Yomiuri outfielder Itaru Ninomiya is born. |
| 1950: It is decided that until a commissioner is appointed, trades between the two leagues will not be allowed to occur. |
| 1950: Nishitetsu, Taiheiyo and Hiroshima pitcher Toshiyoshi Norikae is born. |
| 1948: The regular season schedule ends. |
| 1947: Yomiuri, Hiroshima and Yakult outfielder Yasuhiro Hagiwara is born. |
| 1943: Sankei pitcher Katsunori Taniguchi is born. |
| 1938: Hanshin and Tokyo Orions outfielder Teruo Namiki is born. |
| 1938: Lotte catcher Takeo Daigo is born. |
| 1926: Hankyu and Toei infielder Yoshio Hamada is born. |
| 1924: Goldstar Sato is born. |
| 1922: Eagles and Yamato outfielder Kengo Watanabe is born. |
| 1918: Mainichi and Nishitetsu infielder Sunao Imakurusu is born. |
| 1916: Dai Tokyo, Lion and Chunichi outfielder Hisatoshi Yamamoto is born. |
| 2009: Former Hankyu outfielder Masahiro Nakata dies of cardiac arrest at age 74. |
| 2006: Tampa Bay wins the bidding for Yakult infielder Akinori Iwamura. |
| 2006: Hiroshima announces it has acquired pitcher Jared Fernandez. |
| 2005: Former Hankyu outfielder Noboru Tsunemi dies at age 77 from liver failure. |
| 2005: Orix signs outfielder Masaya Kojima. |
| 2005: Chunichi sends infielder Tadaatsu Nakazawa to Softbank for no compensation. |
| 2001: Japan beats Korea in the quarterfinals of the Baseball World Cup 3-1. |
| 2000: Pacific League chairman Kazuo Harano resigns. |
| 1999: Seibu announces the acquisition of pitcher Hsu Ming-chieh. |
| 1999: Yakult announces the acquistion of infielder Torey Lovullo. |
| 1999: Orix announces the addition of former Chunichi infielder Tokitaka Minamibuchi after a tryout. |
| 1997: Former Kintetsu pitcher Shintaro Yamazaki is signed by Daiei. |
| 1996: Chunichi releases outfielder Darnell Coles. |
| 1995: Former Hanshin pitcher Koji Nakata signs with Lotte. |
| 1995: Nippon Ham sends pitchers Kazuhiro Takeda and Shinji Matsuda to Daiei in exhange for pitcher Tsuyoshi Shimoyanagi and catcher Hideyuki Yasuda. |
| 1995: Hiroshima pitcher Robinson Checo is named Rookie of the Year by a Central League committee. |
| 1994: Former Kintetsu infielder Yoshiaki Kanemura signed with Chunichi. |
| 1994: Orix acquires infielder Doug Jennings. |
| 1993: Seibu trades outfielder Koji Akiyama and pitchers Tomoo Watanabe and Tomoyuki Uchiyama to Daiei for outfielder Makoto Sasaki and pitchers Katsuyoshi Murata and Takehiro Hashimoto. |
| 1993: Hiroshima signs former Kintetsu pitcher Tetsuro Kato. |
| 1992: Hanshin releases pitchers Shuji Fujimoto and Yoshiaki Nishikawa. |
| 1992: Oris signs former Yomiuri pitcher Kiyoshi Sagawa after a tryout. |
| 1992: Yokohama acquires outfielder Glenn Braggs. |
| 1992: Daiei announces that they won’t renew the contracts of infielders Boomer Wells and Mike Laga. |
| 1988: The Matsutaro Shoriki Award is given to Nankai outfielder Hiromitsu Kadota. |
| 1981: Seibu outfielder Hisashi Takayama is born. |
| 1970: Seibu catcher Katsuya Nomura announces his retirement. |
| 1974: Daiei outfielder Tadashi Matsuda is born. |
| 1964: Loltte outfielder Masahiro Taijun is born. |
| 1962: NPB decides to use a horsehide ball beginning with the 1963 season. |
| 1959: Nishitetsu outfielder Hiroshi Oshita retires. |
| 1954: Nankai outfielder Tadashi Aoyama is born. |
| 1948: Yomiuri racks up 59 total bases in a game. |
| 1945: Nankai pitcher Yoshiro Izumi is born. |
| 1944: Chunichi and Lotte pitcher Kazuya Wako is born. |
| 1939: Hanshin outfielder Tsugunosuke Muroyama is born. |
| 1939: Kokutetsu infielder Yutaka Sakamaki is born. |
| 1938: Tokyo Giants manager Sadayoshi Fujimoto is tossed out of a game for protesting a call by the plate umpire. |
| 1930: Chunichi pitcher Paul Foytack is born. |
| 1918: Nagoya Golden Dolphins infielder Nobuo Okamura is born. |
| 1915: Nagoya and Sangyo infielder Saburo Kosaka is born. |
17
| 2006: Softbank signs infielder Hiroki Kokubo as a free agent from Yomiuri. |
| 2006: Hiroshima announces that it has signed infielder Makoto Osuga. |
| 2005: Yomiuri formally signs Chunichi free agent pitcher Shigeki Noguchi. |
| 2005: Hiroshima announces the signing of pitcher Sean Douglass. |
| 2005: Softbank infielder Takashi Sasagawa announces his retirement. |
| 2001: Kintetsu announces the additions of former Chunichi pitcher Hideo Koike, ex-Hanshin pitcher Toyohiko Yoshida and erstwhile Hanshin infielder Osamu Hoshino after a tryout. |
| 2001: Tokyu first baseman Koichi Yasui dies at age 80. |
| 2001: Japan is beaten by Cuba in the Baseball World Cup 3-1. |
| 1999: Kintetsu announces the formal signings of pitchers Bob Wolcott, Brad Tweedlie and Narciso Elvira as well as infielder Andy Abad. They alkso formally release pitchers Phil Leftwich, Rob Mattson, Fernando de la Cruz, and Carlos Valdez. |
| 1998: Nippon Ham releases pitcher Kip Gross. |
| 1998: Kintetsu announces the acquisitions of pitchers Carlos Valdez and Fernando de la Cruz. |
| 1997: Kintetsu announces the signings of pitchers Phil Leftwich and Rob Mattson. |
| 1995: Taiyo, Lotte and Hiroshima pitcher Ichiro Hiraoka dies at age 50. |
| 1993: Lotte sells outfielder Kiyoyuki Nagashima to Hanshin. |
| 1993: Yakult sells outfielder Masao Yamada to Kintetsu. |
| 1992: Hanshin infielder Hideo Furuya retires. |
| 1980: Yomiuri outfielder Shigeru Takada retires. |
| 1978: Lotte outfielder Val Pascucci is born. |
| 1977: Seibu pitcher Alex Graman is born. |
| 1969: Hanshin manager Tsugio Goto resigns and is replaced by pitcher Minoru Murayama. |
| 1965: New Nankai manager Kazuo Kageyama dies suddenly at age 38. |
| 1965: The first ever player draft is held. |
| 1962: Nankai Hawks pitcher Motofumi Nishimura is born. |
| 1953: Seibu and Lotte infielder Shonosuke Kasuga is born. |
| 1953: Nippon Ham pitcher Shoji Kawahara is born. |
| 1949: Nankai and Taiyo pitcher Masaki Miura is born. |
| 1949: Hankyu pitcher Kazuo Watanabe is born. |
| 1942: Taiyo outfielder Yoshihiro Hirayama is born. |
| 1938: The fall schedule ends with the Tokyo Giants winning the season. |
| 1938: Tokyo Giants outfielder Haruyasu Nakajima becomes the first ever Triple Crown winner. |
| 1938: Kokutetsu pitcher Tadayuki Motegi is born. |
| 1937: Nishitetsu and Hiroshima pitcher Kyoji Nishihara is born. |
| 1934: Taiyo pitcher Shigetsugu Hattori is born. |
| 1933: Taiyo infielder Yasuhiro Iwaoka is born. |
| 1931: Tombo catcher Yasuaki Harada is born. |
| 2000: Orix outfielder Ichiro Suzuki’s joining Seattle is a fait accompli. |
| 2000: Yomiuri trades outfielder Rin Ono to Daiei for catcher Koichi Yoshinaga. |
| 2000: Japan loses to Taiwan 3-0 in the third place game of the Baseball World Cup. |
| 1999: Orix sends pitcher Taira Suzuki to Chunichi in exchange for pitcher Takatoshi Kishikawa and infielder Ryo Kawano. |
| 1999: Kintetsu sells outfielder Jiro Fujitate to Orix. |
| 1998: Orix infielder Eiji Yamamoto retires. |
| 1998: Yokohama infielder Takashi Manei has vascular transplant surgery. |
| 1997: The Nagoya prosecutor’s office serves Yakult pitcher Tetsuya Kitagawa and shortstop Shimya Miyamoto, Yokohama catcher Yoshifumi Kawasaki and infielders Takashi Manei and Toshio Haru, Chunichi pitcher Hiroshi Yamada and infielder Yusuke Torigoe, Orix catcher Takashi Miwa, Daiei pitcher Hidekazu Watanabe and infielder Hiroki Kokubo with arrest warrants at their homes for tax evasion. |
| 1996: Yakult sells infielder Kiyoshi Arai to Yokohama. |
| 1996: Chunichi announces the acquistion of pitcher Jimmy Williams. |
| 1993: Nippon Ham signs pitcher Frank Campos. |
| 1993: Former outfielder Hirotaka Uchida signs with Daiei. |
| 1992: Yakult infielders Kenji Yamanaka and Masakazu Seike, as well as pitcher Mitsuo Sumi all retire. |
| 1992: Yakult releases pitcher Kazuya Yano. |
| 1992: Hanshin signs pitcher Kuo Lee Chen-fu |
| 1989: Kintetsu sells pitcher Tatsumi Murata to Taiyo. |
| 1982: Lotte pitcher Ryohei Tanaka is born. |
| 1974: It is decided to institute the DH in the Pacific League starting in 1975. |
| 1973: Nippon Ham and Chunichi outfielder Yoshinori Ueda is born. |
| 1970: Yokohama infielder Kazunori Kawakita is born. |
| 1968: Lotte outfielder Darrell Whitemore is born. |
| 1967: Kintetsu catcher Kazuhiko Harada is born. |
| 1966: The NPB and MLB commissioners meet. |
| 1966: Kintetsu pitcher Rob Mattson is born. |
| 1963: Chunichi and Hiroshima outfielder Shigeki Oto is born. |
| 1960: Masakazu Nagata takes over administrative management of the Mainichi Orions. |
| 1959: Daiei catcher Tetsuji Akahoshi is born. |
| 1954: Seibu pitcher Shigekazu Mori is born. |
| 1952: Yakult outfielder Dan Briggs is born. |
| 1926: Toei infielder Kiyoshi Harada is born. |
19
| 2001: The Central League decides that the pennant will be determined by winning percentage. |
| 2000: Former Orix outfielder Ichiro Suzuki’s signing with the Seattle Mariners is formally announced. |
| 2000: Nippon Ham pitcher Tsuyoshi Shimoyanagi announces he will use an agent to negotiate for him with the club. |
| 1998: Seibu releases outfielders Domingo Martinez and Rudy Pemberton. |
| 1997: News of a tax evasion scheme by Yakult outfielder Shinji Hata, Yokohama pitcher Masahide Yone, Hanshin pitcher Tetsuro Kawajiri, Chunichi pitchers Hideki Sato and Masataka Endo as well as infielder Hitoshi Taneda, Seibu battery coach Tomoyuki Oishi, Daiei pitchers Masao Fujii and Mitsugu Saito as well as infielder Mitsuru Honma breaks. Oishi is fired. The others were dealt with later. |
| 1997: Orix announces the acquisition of Hiroshima infielder Masanori Tokumoto. |
| 1997: Yakult buys the contract of infielder Lyle Mouton from the Chicago White Sox. They also release infielder Jim Tatum. |
| 1996: Yomiuri announces the acquisition of infielder Luis de los Santos. |
| 1996: Yakult announces the additions of former Hiroshima pitcher Tsuyoshi Sato and Lotte pitcher Makoto Itoh. |
| 1995: Lotte announces the acquisitions of fomer Daiei pitcher Hiroomi Ishinuki, ex-Hiroshima pitcher Makoto Itoh, erstwhile Kintetsu pitcher Izumi Takayanagi, and one time Nippon Ham pitcher Yoshinori Sumiyoshi. |
| 1995: Orix outfielder Ichiro Suzuki is named MVP of the East West All Star Game. |
| 1991: The Lotte Orions change their name to the Chiba Lotte Marines. |
| 1988: Hiroshima announces the signings of infielder Wade Rowdon and outfielder Rod Allen. |
| 1984: Softbank second baseman Yuichi Honda is born. |
| 1984: Softbank pitcher Kenji Otonari is born. |
| 1977: Hanshin pitcher Makoto Yoshino is born. |
| 1975: Hiroshima pitcher Masahito Yamane is born. |
| 1973: Nittaku Home unloads the Flyers to Nippon Ham. |
| 1971: Hiroshima and Hanshin infielder Andy Sheets is born. |
| 1968: Hanshin coach Tsugio Goto assumes the manager’s job. |
| 1960: Yomiuri manager Shigeru Mizuhara resigns. Head coach Tetsuharu Kawakami takes over as skipper. |
| 1958: Taiyo team president Shigeo Mori becomes manager. |
| 1949: Tokyu outfielder Hiroshi Oshita raps hits in seven straight official at bats in a game against Taiyo, a new record. |
| 1947: Hiroshima and Hankyu outfielder Jitsuo Mizutani is born. |
| 1945: Nankai outfielder Bobby Tolan is born. |
| 1941: Chunichi outfielder Kazumi Takagi is born. |
| 1934: Nankai, Chunichi and Toei infielder Yosuke Terada is born. |
| 2001: Yokohama announces the acquisitions of pitchers Jason Turman and Domingo Guzman as well as infielder Mike Gulan and outfielder Boi Rodriguez. |
| 2001: Kintetsu pitcher Isao Koda retires. |
| 2001: Daiei catcher Isamu Sugita retires. |
| 2001: Orix releases infielder Joe Vitiello. |
| 2001: Seattle outfielder Ichiro Suzuki is named American League MVP. |
| 2000: Daiei formally announces the release of pitcher Matt Randell. |
| 2000: Hanshin outfielder Kazuhiko Shiotani breaks a finger and is out of commissin for six weeks. |
| 1998: The Seibu Lions number five draft choice is invalidated since it violated a rule stipulating that no more than two pitchers could be taken from one industrial league team unless permission was granted by NPB. |
| 1997: Daiei infielder Hiromi Matsunaka asks to be released. |
| 1997: Hiroshima infielder Kenjiro Nomura has hernia surgery. |
| 1997: Daiei outfielder Hiroyasu Itoh is released. |
| 1996: Lotte announces the signings of former Hiroshima pitchers Yuji Inoue and Yoshihisa Kondo. |
| 1996: Hanshin infielder Akinari Kidachi and outfielder Masayoshi Oishi retire. |
| 1995: Nippon Ham sells infielder Kazuyuki Shirai to Orix. |
| 1995: Yakult trades infielder Shikato Yanagita and outfielder Ryo Kawano to Daiei for pitcher Kazuya Tabata and outfielder Shinichi Sato. |
| 1995: Yokohama signs former Hiroshima infielder Yuichi Furukawa. |
| 1995: Former Hiroshima pitcher Ichiro Hiraoka dies. |
| 1994: Yomiuri infielder Toshio Shinozuka retires. |
| 1991: Yomiuri and Toei outfielder Masayuki Yamazaki dies at age 53. |
| 1991: Yokohama acquires outfielder Larry Sheets. |
| 1991: Nippon Ham trades pitcher Mitsuo Sumi to Yakult for outfielder Junji Ogawa. |
| 1990: Chunichi outfielder Vance Law leaves the team. The Dragons announce the acquisition of pitcher Scott Anderson. |
| 1990: Yomiuri catcher Hidetaka Horiba retires. |
| 1989: Seibu trades pitcher Munenao Ogawa and infielder Koju Hirohashi to Chunchi for pitcher Masami Hirashita and Tatsuo Omiya. |
| 1985: Hanshin, Goldstar, Hankyu, Hiroshima and Kintetsu infielder Osamu Takechi dies at age 60. |
| 1974: Yomiuri manager Tetsuharu Kawakami retires from baseball. |
| 1973: The pro draft is held and four of Yomiuri’s picks ultmately reject signing with the team, including their top three picks. |
| 1972: Chunichi infielder Koji Yamada is born. |
| 1965: Nankai rehires former manager Kazuto Tsuruoka. |
| 1965: Lotte catcher Hidekazu Mitsuyama is born. |
| 1963: Kintetsu outfielder Takahisa Suzuki is born. |
| 1963: Nankai pitcher Kazuhiro Kawamoto is born. |
| 1960: Daimai manager Yukio Nishimoto resigns after his team is swept in the Japan Series against Taiyo. |
| 1959: Former Nishitetsu manager Osamu Mihara assumes the same position with Taiyo. |
| 1950: The Central League schedule ends. |
| 1950: The Chunichi Dragons beat the Shochiku Robins 1-0 in 69 minutes, the shortest nine inning game in Central League history. |
| 1938: Nankai and Kokutetsu infielder Kiyomi Shirano is born. |
| 1937: The first East-West All Star Game is held. |
| 1937: Hanshin catcher Shuji Nishioka is born. |
| 1934: Nankai and Taiyo catcher Hisami Haijima is born. |
| 1934: Pitcher Eiji Sawamura gives up just one run and strikes out nine against a barnstorming MLB all star team that includes Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth at Kusanagi Stadium in Shizuoka Prefecture, creating a sensation in Japan. However, he lost, 1-0 on Gehrig’s solo homer. |
| 1926: Kintetsu catcher Rikuo Nemoto is born. |
| 1925: Hankyu outfielder Hisakzu Miki is born. |
| 1922: Taiyo, Nishitetsu and Mainichi outfielder Soichiro Sobue is born. |
21
| 1995: Kintetsu catcher Kiyokage Fujiwara retires. |
| 1992: Former Hanshin pitcher Shuji Fujimoto is signed by Seibu. |
| 1992: Yakult pitcher Shigeki Nakamoto retires. |
| 1978: Yomiuri announces the signing of pitcher Yutaka Enatsu. |
| 1975: Nankai infielder Tsuyoshi Sawada is born. |
| 1974: Shigeo Nagashima is announced as Yomiuri manager. His playing number, 3, is retired. |
| 1969: Kintetsu pitcher Koki Morita is born. |
| 1950: Yakult pitcher Takashi Imoto is born. |
| 1940: Hankyu outfielder Tsubasa Hirono is born. |
| 1939: Hankyu infielder Akira Ishii is born. |
| 1934: Kintetsu pitcher Kyohei Okamoto is born. |
| 1930: Taiyo pitcher Fukuo Sugikawa is born. |
| 1921: Hanshin infielder Hiroaki Miwa is born. |
| 1911: Tokyo Giants infielder Osamu Mihara is born. |
| 2005: Yokohama signs pitcher Masahiro Sakumoto. |
| 2001: Yomiuri announces the acquisition of former Chunichi pitcher Yukinaga Maeda. |
| 2001: Yomiuri pitcher Darryl May leaves the team and first baseman Domingo Martinez is released. |
| 2000: Daiei announces the acquistions of former Yomiuri pitcher Kiyoshi Hashimoto and ex-Chunichi hurler Masato Higasa. |
| 1999: Chunichi Dragons pitcher Sun Dong-yeol retires. |
| 1999: Former Seibu and Yakult pitcher Hisanobu Watanabe leads the Taiwan league in wins and ERA and is named to a Best Nine. |
| 1998: Hiroshima leftfielder Tomoaki Kanemoto tears a thumb ligament and is expected to be out of commission for three weeks. |
| 1997: Seibu releases pitcher Hisanobu Watanabe. |
| 1996: Former Chunichi pitcher Genji Kaku decides to play in his native Taiwan. |
| 1995: Kintetsu pulls the winning ticket for the rights to PL Gakuen High School outfielder Kosuke Fukudome. However, Fukudome subsequently will refuse to join and will end up in the industrial leagues. |
| 1995: Hanshin pitchers Shinya Nakagawa and Yukimasa Yamamoto as well as outfielders Seiichi Kaneko and Tadami Nakatani all retire. |
| 1994: Daiei announces the acquisitions of former Hiroshima pitchers Tetsuro Kato and Ikuo Takayama. |
| 1993: Lotte acquires former Chunichi pitcher Kazuyuki Ono. |
| 1993: Orix sends catcher Taro Hamuro to Yokohama in exchange for outfielder Katsuhiro Hiratsuka. |
| 1988: Yomiuri trades pitchers Akira Nishimoto and Shigeharu Kamogawa to Chunichi for outfielder Takayoshi Nakao. |
| 1984: Yokohama outfielder Tatsuya Shimozono is born. |
| 1976: Daiei pitcher Lindsay Gulin is born. |
| 1974: Lotte pitcher Koji Takekiyo is born. |
| 1969: Hiroshima, Kintetsu and Hanshin catcher Ryo Yoshimoto is born. |
| 1962: Unpire Yutaka Ikeda is inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. |
| 1961: Yakult outfielder Kazumi Kanashiki is born. |
| 1953: Hiroshima, Nankai and Hanshin outfielder Yoshiaki Oka is born. |
| 1950: The first Japan Series opens. Joe Dimaggio stands at the plate while Rube Marquard throws out the first pitch to Lefty O’Doul at Meiji Jingu Stadium. In the actual game, 43 year old Tadashi Wakabayashi racks up a complete game win for Mainichi against Shochiku. |
| 1949: Hankyu and Nankai outfielder Tsuneo Daigo is born. |
| 1936: Hanshin outfielder Joe Gaines is born. |
| 1936: Dai Tokyo sets a consecutive losses record that would stand for 62 years with 16. |
| 1929: Hiroshima outfielder Yoshinaga Sunami is born. |
| 1924: Yomiuri outfielder Noboru Aota is born. |
| 1999: Hiroshima announces the additions of former Daiei pitcher Shintaro Yamasaki and ex-Buffaloes infielder Hiroyuki Sato. |
| 1999: Chunichi infielder Junichi Jinno has surgery on his right elbow to remove bone chips. |
| 1998: Former Orix pitcher Masao Kida decides to sign with Detroit. |
| 1996: Seibu free agent first baseman Kazuhiro Kiyohara reveals that he will sign with Yomiuri. |
| 1994: Lotte infielder Bunjiro Sakamoto dies at age 69. |
| 1993: Yomiuri pitcher Hiromi Makihara signs the first ever multi-year deal given to a Japanese player. |
| 1983: Rakuten catcher Suguru Ino is born. |
| 1978: Hanshin catcher Koichi Tabuchi is traded to Seibu. |
| 1967: Kintetsu pitcher Will Flynt is born. |
| 1964: Kokutetsu pitcher Masaichi Kaneda signs with Yomiuri. |
| 1959: Chunichi infielder Brook Jacoby is born. |
| 1957: Yakult pitcher Daizo Kataoka is born. |
| 1955: Osaka pitcher Kazunori Nishimura is named Rookie of the Year. |
| 1951: Hankyu infielder Wayne Cage is born. |
| 1948: Nishitetsu and Hanshin pitcher Hirotoshi Watanabe is born. |
| 1945: After a one day postponement due to rain, Meiji Jingu Stadium, usually used for college games up to that point, is utilized for the first time by pros for an East-West all star game. 33 players total take part, with the Eastern team being comprised of representatives from the Giants, Sangyo (another forerunner of the Dragons) and the Senators while the west team boasted players from the Tigers, Kinki Nihon and Asahi. There would subsequently be three other East West battles, two of them heled at Nishinomiya Stadium and the other at Shinkawa. |
| 1937: Hiroshima pinch hitter Hirokazu Iishi is born. |
| 1937: Kintetsu pitcher Kunio Kashiwagi is born. |
| 1935: Nankai, Takahashi and Daiei Stars infielder Shinji Tsutsui is born. |
| 1924: Tokyo Giants and Daiei Stars catcher Hiroshi Kawabata is born. |
24
| 2005: Yomiuri signs pitcher Gary Glover. |
| 2000: After racking up his seventh straight batting title, Orix outfielder Ichiro Suzuki has a bat enshrined in Cooperstown. |
| 2000: Daiei announces the signing of outfielder Tony Mitchell. He is a relative of former Hawks outfielder Kevin Mitchell. |
| 1998: Orix trades outfielder Satoshi Takahashi to Yakult for outfielder Shuichiro Matsumoto. |
| 1999: Hanshin announces the acquisition of former Yakult outfielder Tomohiro Jo. |
| 2000: Former Yokohama pitcher Daisuke Araki is sent to MLB AA ball to learn coaching methods. |
| 1996: Former Seibu first baseman Kazuhiro Kiyohara has his press conference announcing his signing with Yomiuri. |
| 1996: Seibu acquires outfielder Domingo Martinez. |
| 1995: Kintetsu trades infielder Koichi Oshima and catcher Mitsuhiro Kubo to Orix for catcher Toru Takashima and infielder Kenji Horie. |
| 1995: Hiroshima announces the acquisition of former Lotte pitcher Yoshihisa Shiratake. |
| 1995: Nippon Ham announces the acquisitions of two former Yomiuri players, infielder Nozomu Suzuki and outfielder Hirokazu Sakuma. |
| 1994: Nippon Ham announces the acquisition of former Lotte pitcher Toshio Tajima. |
| 1994: Lotte announces the acquisition of former Nippon Ham catcher Kiyoshi Yamanaka. |
| 1993: Orix releases infielder Hidenobu Sato. |
| 1993: Hanshin pitcher Shin Nakagomi has his elbow operated on for a second time. |
| 1993: Hanshin releases pitcher Noriaki Kudoh. |
| 1992: Yakult infielder Keiichi Shibui retires. |
| 1992: Hanshin infielder Koichi Saka retires. |
| 1992: Yakult trades pitcher Tsuyoshi Nishioka to Orix for pitcher Koji Mori. |
| 1992: Orix signs former Chunichi pitcher Akira Nishimoto. |
| 1992: Former Hanshin outfielder Yoshiie Tachibana signs with OB in the KBO. |
| 1975: Lotte pitcher Naoyuki Shimizu is born. |
| 1970: Yakult pitcher Jason Jacome is born. |
| 1968: Hanshin infielder Dave Hansen is born. |
| 1959: Coach Tokuji Kawasaki is named Nishitetsu manager. |
| 1958: Yomiuri pitcher Atsushi Ishikawa is born. |
| 1957: The Daiei Stars merge with the Mainichi Orions, shrinking the Pacific League to six teams. |
| 1954: Ichiro Kishi takes over as manager of Osaka. |
| 1949: Chunichi and Lotte outfielder Takumi Eshima is born. |
| 1940: Toei pitcher Yozo Ishikawa is born. |
| 1920: Eagles, Yamato and Kyuei outfielder Yoshio Tani is born. |
| 1918: Nagoya Golden Dolphins pitcher Sukesaburo Tsunekawa is born. |
| 1916: Mainichi infielder Hirokuni Kataoka is born. |
25
| 2002: Hanshin signs former Hiroshima free agent outfielder Tomoaki Kanemoto. |
| 2001: An all star game comprised of retired players results in a 7-4 victory by the Pacific League over the Central League. |
| 1999: Cuban dictator Fidel Castro turns down the idea of allowing Cubans to play in Japan. |
| 1998: Chunichi signs pitcher Takahiro Kanamori, who spent one year playing in Taiwan. |
| 1997: Former Hanshin Tigers president Shojiro Ozu dies. |
| 1996: Kintetsu pitchers Masaaki Kamanaka and Toshiya Adachi as well as infielder Satoru Ota all retire. |
| 1995: Lotte pitchers Katsuo So and Kazuyuki Ono as well as outfielders Yoshihiro Nishioka and Shinichi Furukawa all retire. |
| 1994: Seibu decides to sign former Chunichi outfielder Masayuki Yokota. |
| 1994: Daiei Stars and Daimai infielder Bunjiro Sakamoto dies at age 68. |
| 1993: Orix signs infielder Francisco Cabrera. |
| 1993: Hiroshima pitcher Kenji Katata dies at age 57. |
| 1992: Hiroshima sends catcher Takamasa Matsui to Chunichi for pitcher Koji Kobayakawa. |
| 1992: Chunichi pitcher Takaaki Ishimoto and outfielder Terufumi Kitamura retired. |
| 1984: Nippon Ham pitcher Ken Kamakura is born. |
| 1981: Yomiuri gives infielder Tatsunori Hara a 70% salary raise. |
| 1979: Daiei infielder Koichi Nakamura is born. |
| 1975: Kintetsu pitcher Hiroshi Hirata is born. |
| 1974: Former Hanshin infielder Fumio Fujimura and onetime manager Sadayoshi Fujimoto are inducted into the Japanese baseball hall of fame. |
| 1972: Former Hanshin and Hiroshima manager Shuichi Ishimoto is inducted into the Japanese baseball hall of fame. |
| 1969: Hanshin pitcher Koichi Ushimyama is born. |
| 1968: Toei manager Shigeru Mizuhara steps down and is succeeded by Hiroshi Oshita. |
| 1968: Yakult pitcher Shingo Takatsu is born. |
| 1968:: Yomiuri outfielder Takashi Maeda is born. |
| 1967: Yomiuri outfielder Takashi Maeda is born. |
| 1960: Yakult and Kintetsu pitcher Hidenori Minami is born. |
| 1959: Hanshin promotes coach Masayasu Kaneda to manager after previous manager Yoshio Tanaka resigns. |
| 1957: Yoshio “Kaiser” Tanaka, a Nisei, becomes the first foreign born manager in Japanese history when he takes the job for Hanshin. He replaced previous manager Fumio Fujimura, who went back to being a player. |
| 1957: Hanshin infielder Akinobu Okada is born. |
| 1957: Taiyo, Lotte and Orix infielder Ko Saito is born. |
| 1957: Nippon Ham outfielder Tony Brewer is born. |
| 1957: Yoshio Tanaka becomes manager of Osaka. Former manager Fumio Fujimura unretires as a player. |
| 1955: Taiyo claims that the contract that Masamoto Katsuura signed with Toei is invalid. Toei says that Katsuura signed contracts with both teams. |
| 1947: The Kokumin League concludes its schedule in its lone season in existence. |
| 1945: Kintetsu pitcher Hideo Igarashi is born. |
| 1941: Tokyo Orions pitcher Takayuki Ryu is born. |
| 1941: Kintetsu infielder Takaharu Sakai is born. |
| 1939: Tokyo Orions infielder Yoshio Shiotsu is born. |
| 1936: Kintetsu infielder Yasuo Kono is born. |
| 1934: Nishitetsu pitcher Osamu Nishimura is born. |
| 1926: Kintetsu catcher Mitsuru Watanabe is born. |
| 1924: Shochiku outfielder Kyutaro Iwasaki is born. |
| 1923: Taiyo, Goldstar, Daiei Stars and Hankyu pitcher Zenzo Ikeda is born. |
| 1921: Yomiuri catcher Toshiaki Takemiya is born. |
| 1915: Yomiuri catcher Kineji Taniguchi is born. |
| 2005: Softbank signs catcher Hidenori Tanoue. |
| 2005: Yomiuri announces the signing of Seibu free agent pitcher Kiyoshi Toyoda. |
| 2001: Nippon Ham catcher Mitsuhisa Nakayama retires. |
| 2001: Daiei releases pitcher Matt Randell |
| 1998: Seibu trades infielder Jun Yamada to Hiroshima for infielder Kenichi Takayama. |
| 1998: Hanshin decides to release infielder Dave Hansen. |
| 1997: The Mets sign Japanese high school pitcher Juei Ushiromatsu. |
| 1996: Yomiuri pitcher Katsuhito Mizuno, catcher Hiromasa Fujita and infielder Kaoru Okazaki all retire. |
| 1996: Chunichi infielder Kazutoshi Yamada retires. |
| 1996: Yakult catcher Chikashi Nakanishi and infielder Shigeyuki Yamaguchi retire. |
| 1993: Lotte announces the acquisitions of infielder Hensley Meulens and pitcher Michael Hartley. |
| 1993: Yakult outfielder Yukio Yaegashi and infielder Toru Sugiura retire. |
| 1993: Nippon Ham announces the acquisition of formerOrix pitcher Kiyoshi Sagawa. |
| 1992: Chunichi signs former Hiroshima pitcher Hiroshi Tsuno. |
| 1991: Nippon Ham catcher Yoshiharu Wakana retires. |
| 1991: Former Yakult pitcher Akihito Arisumi becomes a Central League umpire. |
| 1989: Eight teams wanted to draft Hideo Nomo out of the industrial leagues, but Kintetsu draws the winning ticket and gets him. |
| 1985: Hanshin catcher Shinji Komiyama is born. |
| 1981: Hiroshima pitcher Takahiro Aoki is born. |
| 1980: Seibu pitcher Chikara Onodera is born. |
| 1973: The Yakult Atoms change their nickname to the Swallows. Also, Hiroshi Arakawa becomes manager of the ballclub. |
| 1968: Seibu pitcher Tetsuya Shiozaki is born. |
| 1962: Lotte, Chunichi and Seibu outfielder Masashi Yokota is born. |
| 1960: Orix outfielder Masafumi Yamamori is born. |
| 1950: Kintetsu pitcher Minoru Handa is born. |
| 1949: Representatives of the Japanese pro teams meet and dissolve the old single league and adopt the Central and Pacific leagues. The Pacific League holds a ceremony celebrating its formation and admits the Nishitetsu Clippers, the Kintetsu Pearls and the Mainichi Orions. The Central League, at least for now, is made up of Yomiuri, Hanshin, Taiyo and Chunichi. |
| 1942: Sankei and Chunichi pitcher Susumu Sato is born. |
| 1938: The Osaka Tigers and the Tokyo Giants meet to decide the Japan pro champion. Arguments initiated by Osaka manager Sadayoshi Fujimoto and Tokyo skipper Osamu Mihara result in 100 yen (about $50 at the time) fines assessed against the pair. Osaka comes out on tep by winning their fourth straight against the Giants. |
| 1936: Hanshin pitcher Yoshiteru Ishikawa is born. |
| 1935: Hankyu pitcher Tadashi Arasuna is born. |
| 1919: Nishitetsu, Tokyu, Takahashi and Nankai outfielder Yasuhiro Fukami is born. |
27
| 2001: Lotte infielder Naoki Matsumoto retired. |
| 2000: Yokohama holds on to infielder Bobby Rose’s negotiating rights. They ultimately didn’t reach any agreement and Rose retired. |
| 2000: Hanshin pitcher Tetsuro Kawajiri informs his team that he will use an agent to negotiate his contract. |
| 1998: Katsutoshi Miwata, a former infielder with Hankyu who worked in the player personnel department of Orix, threw himself off of a building after not being able to sign number one draft choice Nagisa Arakaki, who decided to go to college instead of turning pro. Was also the guy who recommended that Orix draft Ichiro Suzuki and use him as a position player rather than what he was in high school, a pitcher. |
| 1998: Hiroshima traded infielder Kenichi takayama to Seibu in exchange for infielder Jun Yamada. |
| 1997: Daiei sells pitcher Tomio Watanabe to Seibu. |
| 1997: Daiei announces the acquistion of former Kintetsu pitcher Ryuji Nishimura. |
| 1997: Kintetsu pitcher Hiroyuki Morioka retires. |
| 1996: Nippon Ham catcher Tetsuji Okamoto retires. |
| 1996: Daiei infielder Hiromichi Ishige retires. |
| 1996: Hanshin pitcher Hiroaki Hattori retires. |
| 1995: Yomiuri announces the acquisition of former Nippon Ham pitcher Hirofumi Kono. |
| 1995: Yokohama pitcher Akira Yoshii and catcher Kazuaki Nako retire. |
| 1995: Kintetsu announces the acquisition of pitcher Hiroyuki Morioka. |
| 1993: The Pacific League decides that extra inning games will be up to 12 innings, no matter how long they are timewise. |
| 1992: Orix infielder Takashi Toba retires. |
| 1992: Daiei pitcher Satoru Takashima retires. |
| 1992: Lotte pitchers Yasuji Ibe and Hiroshi Ogawa as well as infielder Kenichi Sato and outfielder Hideaki Takazawa retire. |
| 1992: Chunichi pitcher Gen Kaga and infielder Mitsuhisa Nagakawa retire. |
| 1991: Orix catcher Osamu Shimabukuro and infielder Keijiro Yumioka retired. |
| 1991: Nippon Ham infielder Akihiro Yamazaki retires. |
| 1990: Yomiuri trades outfielder Masahiro Ishii to Hanshin for infielder Nobuhiko Tsurumi. |
| 1988: Two independent Chunichi organized cheering groups get into a brawl and five are injured, including one seriously. |
| 1987: Asahi infielder Motoaki Haiyama dies at age 75. |
| 1976: Nagoya, Eagles and Yamato infielder Yoshio Takahashi dies at age 68. |
| 1973: Yakult and Yokohama pitcher Jason Beverlin is born. |
| 1949: Lotte pitcher Choji Murata is born. |
| 1945: Kintetsu and Chunichi pitcher Yasuo Kawachi is born. |
| 1943: Nippon Ham, Taiheiyo, Lotte and Kintetsu outfielder and father of Korean pro baseball Jinten Haku (Korean name Paik In-chung) is born. |
| 1941: Hiroshima and Kintetsu catcher Shoji Kubo is born. |
| 1936: Kintetsu catcher Koichi Murata is born. |
| 1928: Toei infielder Hiroshi Saito is born. |
| 1916: Lion pitcher Toshiyuki Okamoto is born. |
| 2005: Softbank announces the signing of pitcher Hiroshi Shibakusa. |
| 2001: Former Orix pitcher Shinichi Kato signs with Kintetsu. |
| 2001: Daiei announces the formal signings of former Chunichi pitcher Taira Suzuki and ex-Yokohama catcher Shunsuke Sugiyama. |
| 2001: Seibu outfielder Corey Paul leaves the team, eventually heading for the KBO. |
| 2001: Asahi Seimei dissolves its industrial league team. |
| 2000: Chunichi trades catcher Kosuke Yoshiwara to Orix for catcher Yuichi Yanagisawa. |
| 1999: Orix free agent pitcher Nobuyuki Hoshino signs with Hanshin. |
| 1998: Nankai free agent pitcher Kazuhiro Takeda signs with Chunichi. |
| 1997: Seibu pitcher Hisataka Tomioka is sold to Hiroshima. |
| 1997: Hanshin trades outfielder Makoto Hattori to Kintetsu for pitcher Masaaki Esaka. |
| 1997: Daiei signs outfielder Ryan Thompson. |
| 1996: Yomiuri first baseman Hiromitsu Ochiai asks to be released, a request that was granted. He then holds a press conference the same day to announce it. |
| 1996: The Japanese players association demands that Kintetsu release infielder Hiroo Ishii. |
| 1996: Orix pitcher Naoki Yoshida retires. |
| 1995: Yakult pitcher Chikafusa Ikeda and outfielder Yukitoshi Oka retires. |
| 1995: Orix infielder Akinobu Okada retires. |
| 1995: Lotte pitchers Katsuo So and Kazuyuki Ono retire. |
| 1995: Yakult trades pitcher Katsuhito Osaka and outfielder Yukio Arai to Kintetsu for pitcher Fuminobu Kinoshita and cash. |
| 1995: Chunichi outfielder Hisashi Ono retires and becomes a minor league baserunning and defense coach. |
| 1995: Tokyo Senators and Pacific League umpire Saburo Yokozawa dies at age 90. |
| 1994: Seibu pitchers Toshihiro Go and Katsunori Yamamoto retire. |
| 1991: Seibu sells outfielder Yoshiie Tachibana to Hanshin. |
| 1987: Nippon Ham pitcher Tatsuo Kinoshita is born. |
| 1979: Hiroshima pitcher Masaki Hayashi is born. |
| 1972: Yomiuri and Orix pitcher Jose Parra is born. |
| 1969: Nishitetsu pitcher Masayuki Nagai is banned from baseball for life for his role in a gambling scandal that came to be known as the “Black Mist Incident”. |
| 1968: Seibu pitcher Shigeo Iida is born. |
| 1968: Orix infielder Scott Sheldon is born. |
| 1968: Orix pitcher Terry Burrows is born. |
| 1966: Hanshin infielder Takashi Yoshida is born. |
| 1965: Hanshin pitcher Takashi Ota is born. |
| 1958: Former Yomiuri infielder Shigeru Chiba becomes Kintetsu manager. The team’s nickname would then change after the fans decided that part of Chiba’s nickname, the “wild buffalo” would be better than “Pearls.” |
| 1958: Hiroshima infielder Akihiko Kihara is born. |
| 1957: The Mainichi Orions and the Daiei Stars merge to become the Mainichi-Daiei (Daimai for short) Orions. Kaoru Betto was named manager and Masakazu Nagata becomes team owner. |
| 1956: Nippon Ham outfielder Yukio Kakizaki is born. |
| 1954: Yomiuri returns fto Japan after playing games in Australia and Manila. |
| 1953: Hankyu and Hanshin infielder Shigeru Yagi is born. |
| 1950: Mainichi wins the Japan Series, beating Shochiku. |
| 1947: Nikshitetsu and Hiroshima pitcher Kazuhiro Fujimoto is born. |
| 1941: Kintetsu and Daimai outfielder Masahiko Osaka is born. |
| 1938: Kintetsu catcher Yoshimitsu Okano is born. |
| 1932: Nankai, Takahashi, Mainichi and Hiroshima pitcher Takeo Hattori is born. |
| 1930: Hankyu pitcher Akio Osaki is born. |
| 1929: Toei infielder Teruo Ishihara is born. |
| 1919: Shochiku pitcher Kenichi Izutsu is born. |
| 1908: P.J. Delahanty, who was pitching as part of the Reach All American Baseball Club, a U.S minor league all star team that was touring Japan for a 17 games series, throws a perfect game against Waseda University at Totsuka Stadium in the first perfecto ever realized on Japanese soil. Delahanty reportedly required only 73 pitches to pull it off. But even more astonishingly, the game is over in just 40 minutes. The Reach squad would go on to take all 17 matches it played. |
| 2001: Chunichi and Lotte pitcher Norihiro Mizutani dies at age 51. |
| 1999: Hanshin Yakult sells catcher Katsunori Nomura to Hanshin. |
| 1999: The Taiwan Athletic Association retires former Chunichi pitcher Taigen Kaku’s number he wore while playing with that country’s national team, 33. |
| 1997: Chunichi catcher Takumi Shigi is moved to Lotte for no compensation. |
| 1996: Lotte signs former Yomiuri pitcher Ryu Hanekawa. |
| 1996: Orix outfielder Ichiro Suzuki’s number he wore while playing with the Hilo Stars in the Hawaiian Winter League, 5, is retired, the only time that has happened. |
| 1995: Hiroshima trades outfielder Yusuke Kawada to Seibu for infielder Takeshi Nonogaki. |
| 1995: Daiei signs former Yomiuri outfielder Yasuhiro Itoh. |
| 1993: Hanshin third baseman Hiromi Matsunaga signs with Daiei as the first player to change teams via free agency. |
| 1993: Seibu pitchers Taketo Kamei, Nobuhiro Takagi, Shinya Oda and Kenichi Otsuka as well as catcher Katsuya Soma all retire. |
| 1991: Seibu pitcher Masami Miyashita retired. |
| 1991: Nishitetsu and Hankyu pitcher Keijiro Kawaguchi dies at age 72. |
| 1988: Yomiuri and Nankai outfielder Masahisa Fukuda dies at age 54. |
| 1983: Yokohama outfielder Yuta Naito is born. |
| 1979: Orix pitcher Takuji Yamamoto is born. |
| 1976: Chunichi pitcher Takashi Ogasawara is born. |
| 1975: Lotte pitcher Tsuneyuki Iso is born. |
| 1966: Yomiuri, Daiei and Orix pitcher Shuji Yoshida is born. |
| 1962: Kintetsu and Nippon Ham catcher Kazuhiko Yamashita is born. |
| 1960: Seibu pitcher Hiroyuki Noguchi is born. |
| 1956: Yomiuri pitcher Shoji Sadaoka is born. |
| 1951: Chunichi pitcher Kimiya Fujisawa is born. |
| 1950: Nippon Ham infielder Mike Easler is born. |
| 1949: The regular season ends. |
| 1944: Nippon Ham and Hiroshima infielder Tsuyoshi Oshita is born. |
| 1931: Daiei Stars and Kintetsu pitcher Kazuo Takeuchi is born. |
| 1919: Eagles, Yamato and Chunichi infielder Masafumi Kinoshita is born. |
| 2005: Orix and Jeremy Powell can’t come to terms on a contract, so Powell becomes a free agent. |
| 2005: Seibu releases outfielder Tatsuya Ozeki. |
| 2001: Orix infielder George Arias announces that he will leave the team. He ultimately signed with Hanshin. |
| 2000: Orix outfielder Jon Nunnaly and pitcher Terry Burrows are formally released. |
| 2000: Kintetsu catcher Shinya Kuramoto retires. |
| 2000: Orix outfielder Ichiro Suzuki signs a three year deal with Seattle for around $13 million. The same night, he throws out the first ball in an NBA game. |
| 1999: Daiei announces the acquistion of pitcher Brady Raggio. |
| 1999: Kintetsu infielder Hironori Suguro retires. |
| 1999: Hanshin formally releases pitchers Darryl May and Ben Rivera. May later signed with Yomiuri. |
| 1999: Kintetsu pitcher Hiroshi Takamura has bone chips removed from his elbow. |
| 1999: Hanshin infielder Hiroshi Hirao has hernia surgery. |
| 1998: Former Daiei pitcher Kazuhiro Takeda signs with Chunichi. |
| 1998: Chunichi pitcher Hideki Sato is sold to Seibu. |
| 1998: Hiroshima announces the addition of pitcher Reinoso Pascual from its Dominican Academy. They then also announced the release of pitcher Antonio Guzman. |
| 1998: Hanshin acquires former Orix pitcher Yuichi Kiyohara and releases infielder Dave Hansen and pitcher Doug Creek. |
| 1998: Lotte pitcher Tomohiro Kuroki has hernia surgery. |
| 1995: Chunichi outfielder Hisashi Ono retires. |
| 1995: Seibu pitcher Nobuyuki Ishii, catcher Hideshi Nakada and outfielder Masayuki Yokota all retire. |
| 1995: It comes out in the press that Seibu pitcher Katsuhiro Maeda has met with player agent Dan Nomura. |
| 1994: Chunichi announces the acquisition of former Daiei outfielder Hisashi Ono. |
| 1993: Orix pitchers Shigehiro Endo and Ryoji Tani retire. |
| 1993: Lotte outfielder Akikazu Okabe retires. |
| 1992: Seibu catcher Tatsuo Omiya and infielder Yasutomo Suzuki retire. |
| 1992: Kintetsu pitcher Hironori Sakaguchi and catcher Fumiaki Kiyota retire. Kiyota became the team’s bullpen catcher. |
| 1992: Yomiuri acquires outfielder Jesse Barfield. |
| 1978: Yakult pitcher Yuya Kamada is born. |
| 1977: Daiei pitcher Kazumi Saito is born. |
| 1971: Daiei outfielder Kazuyoshi Yoshimoto is born. |
| 1970: Orix and Rakuten pitcher Hiroshi Kobayashi is born. |
| 1969: Yomiuri pitcher Masaichi Kaneda retires. |
| 1965: Chunichi pitcher Haruhiko Nakashima is born. |
| 1950: Lotte outfielder Kaoru Betto is named MVP and pitcher Atsushi Aramaki is named Rookie of the Year. |
| 1950: Shochiku outfielder Makoto Kozuru is named MVP after setting new single season homer and RBI records and pitcher Nobuo Oshima is named Rookie of the Year. |
| 1944: Nippon Ham infielder Katsutoshi Nakahara is born. |
| 1940: Chunichi pitcher Hideaki Narita is born. |
| 1937: Osaka wins the fall season title. |
| 1936: Nishitetsu and Chunichi infielder Toshihiko Uchikoshi is born. |
| 1932: Hankyu and Taiyo outfielder Kiyoshi Watanabe is born. |
| 1929: Mainichi pitcher Leo Kiely is born. |
| 1927: Kokutetsu and Taiyo pitcher Shojiro Muramatsu is born. |
| 1927: Nishitetsu pitcher Soya Uchida is born. |
| 1924: Nishitetsu and Toei outfielder Etsurao Tsukamoto is born. |
| 1923: Nishi Nihon and Shochiku pitcher Shigeru Hayashi is born. |
| 1923: Yomiuri cateher Yojiro Nagai is born. |
| 1918: Nankai, Taiyo, Kintetsu and Daiei Stars outfielder Yutaka Tagawa is born. |
