[Softbank Hawks] Chairman Oh Sadaharu's number "89" will be retired. CBO Kenji Jojima said, "I want the number 89 to become a special number for the city of Fukuoka."

Sports Hochi

Kenji Jojima, CBO (camera: Daisuke Iwata) announcing the launch of the "FUKUOKA OH SADAHARU LEGACY PROJECT"

Softbank Hawks decided on the 30th to treat the number "89" that Sadaharu Oh (85) wore when he was a manager as a de facto permanent retirement. On this day, he announced the start of a project to pass on Chairman Wang's achievements to the next generation. CBO Kenji Jojima (49), who attended the press conference, expressed his wish, saying, "I hope that the number 89 will be a special number for the town of Fukuoka."

Chairman Wang served as director from 1995 to 08 and carried the '89' out of love for baseball (8/9). After 09, when he retired as a coach, it will be a vacant number, and it will continue to be a number that symbolizes "The Hawks baseball". In the team, the number "15" of Masao Fujii (former pitcher), who died of lung cancer in 00 at the age of 31, is also a vacant number.

The May 24 Nippon-Ham game (Mizuho Pei-Pei) will be held as "Sadaharu Oh Legacy Day". The Hawks All players of the number will wear "89" and replica uniforms of the same design will be distributed to visitors. CBO Jojima called for visitors, saying, "I dreamed of the day when the whole stadium would be filled with '89. (Tosei Moriguchi)

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Pacific League News

[Softbank Hawks] Chairman Oh Sadaharu's number "89" will be retired. CBO Kenji Jojima said, "I want the number 89 to become a special number for the city of Fukuoka."