Yokohama BayStars

The are a professional baseball team in the Japanese Central League. Home field is the Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The clubhouse is located near the stadium.

The team mascot is Hossy, the character with the star-shaped head seen on the team logo.

The minor league team is named the Shonan Searex, and plays in the Eastern League. The minor league home field is Yokosuka Stadium, located in Yokosuka, Kanagawa.

The team's name has changed from: (1950–1952), (1953), (1954), (1955–1977), (1978–1992) to the current name, Yokohama BayStars, adopted in 1993.

History

Origin (1930s-1949)

The team originated from the amateur team of the Taiyo Fishing Company (current Maruha Corporation). The amateur team began to appear in national tournaments in the 1930s, and won the National Sports Festival in 1948 to obtain national recognition. In the 1949 off-season, the Japanese professional baseball league drastically expanded itself, and many players from the Taiyo amateur team were recruited to join the professional leagues. The owner of the Taiyo company decided to enter the amateur team into the newly expanded Central League, which was established in 1950. The team officially became professional as the Maruha Team, and the franchise was based in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi.

Taiyo Whales (1950-1952)

The team name was changed to Taiyo Whales, shortly after the start of the 1950 season. The Whales received several veteran players from the Yomiuri Giants to...
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