On the 25th, Softbank held a team year-end party at a hotel in Fukuoka City, attended by players and their families.
Team president Sadaharu Oh and manager Hiroki Kokubo took to the stage to give opening remarks and a toast.
Chairman Wang: "Good evening, everyone. We were blessed with beautiful weather for yesterday's victory parade, and it felt like a celebration of our struggles over the past year. You were really strong this year. It was amazing. I hope you all enjoy your off-season with pride. However, we don't often have time to enjoy our leisure time. We're always thinking about the next thing and the next. I'm sure that's the same for all of you, but the better you are, the stronger your desire for the next year becomes. So I hope that everyone is thinking about having a good season so that they can be proud of themselves again next year. I want you all to be clearly defined about how you want to move forward from here to next year. I don't think you're getting too excited just because you won, but I want you all to continue to hone yourselves. I also want you all to work hard together as a family in preparation for next season, so that you can overcome 2026. This truly was a wonderful year."
Manager Kokubo: "Good evening, everyone. 290,000 fans came out to watch the parade yesterday, and it really brought home to me how happy we are to be number one in Japan. At the same time, it also reminded me that baseball is a sport that can bring smiles to so many people's faces. Today is the final celebration of the 2025 season, so I would like to thank the management, players, staff, front office staff, and especially the families, who all climbed the same mountain. I would like to say thank you for all your hard work this past year. Looking back, the start of the season was full of ups and downs, with three straight losses in the opening game and finishing April in last place with a six-game deficit. I'm sure that caused trouble for the players' families at the time, but I would like to once again express my gratitude to the families who always stood by and supported the players, even through those times. Without any of you here today, we wouldn't have been able to see this scene. I'd like to raise a toast to our victory in number one in Japan in 2025, our third consecutive league championship next year, and the happiness and good health of everyone gathered here today. Cheers."
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