On the 17th, 26 years after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, professional baseball and Orix players, who were based in Kobe at that time, offered a silent prayer to the victims.

Orix won the league championship with the slogan "Ganbaro KOBE" in 1995, when the earthquake struck, and often won the league title for the second time in a row and became the symbol of reconstruction in Japan.



On the 17th, 26 years after the earthquake, a half-mast of the team was raised at the team facility in Kobe, Osaka, and at noon, about 60 players and staff including Junichi Fukura, who was an active player at Orix at that time, I turned to Kobe and offered a minute of silence to the victims of the earthquake.



Masafumi Hirai, a coach who was active as a starting pitcher and a restraint at the time of the earthquake, said, "Honestly, I was doing my best, but I remember the process of reconstruction and the gradual return of fans to the stadium. I think I have to tell the bad day, so I want young players who do not know the earthquake to know the importance of fans and the people around them. "



In addition, Ryoto Kurita, a newcomer from Kobe who joined the team in 3rd place in the draft, said, "I was born after the earthquake, but it is important to hear from my mother about the earthquake, cooperate with each other, and thank them. I want to be able to support people if something similar happens. "