Yakult, a professional baseball player, finished the last game of the regular season against DeNA at Jingu Stadium on the night of the 3rd. I showed

The 40-year-old Uchikawa, who has won the title of top hitter in both the Central and Pacific Leagues and has achieved 2,000 hits, is the 5th and 1st pitcher.



He hit a timely two base in the second at-bat of the three innings and was moved to tears on base.



38-year-old Sakaguchi, who was the last active player to play for Kintetsu, also started in the 2nd right fielder, caught a 147km fastball in the first at-bat, hit the front of the left field, and received great applause. I was.



Both of them had 1 hit in 2 at bats, and after finishing 3 attacks, they took off their hats and said hello to the 29,000 fans who had gathered. rice field.



Motohiro Shima, a 37-year-old catcher who was also active in Rakuten, appeared as a pinch hitter in the 8th inning, and although he struck out in the air, he put on a mask and defended in the 9th inning.



Then, he led the fifth pitcher, 23-year-old Yugo Umeno, and after hitting one of them with a short ground ball, he came down to the bench and received a big round of applause.

Retirement ceremony surprise guest appears after the game

After the match, three retirement ceremonies were held on the ground.



And when the bouquet was presented, a guest appeared as a surprise.



Uchikawa is played by Kimiyasu Kudo, the manager of Softbank.



Sakaguchi is pitcher Kazuki Kondo, who has played with Kintetsu, Orix, and Yakult.



Mr. Masahiro Tanaka, the pitcher who built the battery during the Rakuten era, gave Shima a bouquet of flowers and gave words of gratitude to each of them.



And the three retiring greeted the fans.



Uchikawa said, “I want to help the team. I am very happy. Thank you very much for the past 22 years."



Sakaguchi expressed his thoughts on the three teams he belonged to, saying, "When I joined Kintetsu, I was given the momentum of a professional called 'Itemae Tamashii', the fighting attitude of Orix, and the indomitable spirit of Yakult." Talk: “I am proud to take off my uniform in front of so many fans,” he said strongly.



Shima said, “During my 13 years at Rakuten, I learned how to think and play baseball and learn the basics of being a catcher. I'm glad I came to Yakult, and every day I felt happy that I was able to play baseball with my best friends."



And finally, he said, "Let's show the underlying strength of the Yakult Swallows," in reference to the phrase "Let's show the underlying strength of baseball," which he said in his speech before the charity match held the month after the Great East Japan Earthquake during his Rakuten days. I closed.



After that, the three of them were tossed up by their teammates, and at the end they made a lap around the stadium and said goodbye to the fans.