Yukio Nishimura and the roots of the Hanshin–Giants rivalry | Unagi Kitaya Roots of the Rivalry
Yukio Nishimura was born in the eel restaurant Kitaya, in Honmachi, Ise. He joined the Osaka Tigers — today the Hanshin Tigers — in 1937, and proved especially difficult for the Giants, then led by Eiji Sawamura, helping carry his club to championships in 1937 and 1938. He was killed in the Philippines on 3 April 1945, and entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977. He stands among the pitchers at the origin of Japan's oldest baseball rivalry.
Two Aces from Ise:
Hanshin vs. Giants
Ise City is the birthplace of two legendary pitchers who supported the early days of Japanese professional baseball: Eiji Sawamura (Giants) and Yukio Nishimura (Hanshin/Kitaya).
Their statues stand facing each other at Kuratayama Stadium.
Statues of both pitchers at Kuratayama Stadium, Ise
Eiji Sawamura
Born in Ise, Sawamura shocked the world in 1934 by striking out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in succession.
As the Giants' ace, he achieved the first no-hitter in pro baseball history and won the first MVP award.
His legendary #14 is retired, and the "Sawamura Award" is presented annually to the best pitcher in Japan.
Yukio Nishimura
Born in "Kitaya", Ise. He joined the Tigers in 1937 specifically to defeat Sawamura and the Giants.
Known for his heavy fastball and fighting spirit, he won the MVP and Most Wins title in his rookie year, surpassing Sawamura.
He is the origin of the "Tigers Spirit", leading the team to consecutive championships.
History Passed Down
Although many records were lost in the war, their legend lives on.
It is the pride of Ise that the two ace pitchers of the "Traditional Rivalry" (Giants vs. Tigers) were both from this city.
The Revival (2014)
On March 10, 2014, history was revived at the Ise Kuratayama Stadium.
The "Traditional Match" between Giants and Tigers legends was held in Ise for the first time in 65 years.
The owner of Kitaya, Nishimura's birthplace, also participated in this commemorative event.