Central League

This article is about the Japanese baseball league. For other uses, see Central League (disambiguation).

Logo of the Central League

The Central League (セントラル・リーグ, Sentoraru Rīgu) or Ce League (セリーグ, Se Rīgu) is one the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consists of six teams from around the country,

The Central League was founded in 1949 with eight teams. Unlike the Pacific League, designated hitters are not used during Central League home games.

In 2007 a new Climax Series was introduced. This is a playoff series inspired by the stepladder playoff used in Pacific League for the top three teams of the league to determine who progresses to the Japan Series. Under the previous system, there was no post-season playoff and the winner of the pennant automatically qualified for the Japan Series.

Current teams

Team	Japanese Name	Place	Sponsor
Chunichi Dragons	中日ドラゴンズ Chūnichi Doragonzu	Nagoya	Chunichi Shimbun
Hanshin Tigers	阪神タイガース Hanshin Taigāsu	Nishinomiya	Hanshin Electric Railway
Hiroshima Toyo Carp	広島東洋カープ Hiroshima Tōyō Kāpu	Hiroshima	Matsuda family (founding family of Mazda)
Tokyo Yakult Swallows	ヤクルトスワローズ Tōkyō Yakuruto Suwarōzu	Tokyo	Yakult
Yokohama BayStars	横浜ベイスターズ Yokohama Beisutāzu	Yokohama	DeNA
Yomiuri Giants	読売ジャイアンツ Yomiuri Jaiantsu	Tokyo	Yomiuri Shimbun

Central League pennant winners

2011 Chunichi Dragons 2010 Chunichi Dragons 2009 Yomiuri Giants 2008 Yomiuri Giants 2007 Yomiuri Giants 2006 Chunichi Dragons 2005 Hanshin Tigers 2004 Chunichi Dragons 2003 Hanshin Tigers 2002 Yomiuri Giants 2001 Yakult Swallows 2000 Yomiuri Giants 1999 Chunichi Dragons 1998 Yokohama BayStars 1997 Yakult Swallows 1996 Yomiuri Giants 1995 Yakult Swallows 1994 Yomiuri Giants 1993 Yakult Swallows 1992 Yakult Swallows 1991 Hiroshima Toyo Carp 1990 Yomiuri Giants 1989 Yomiuri Giants 1988 Chunichi Dragons 1987 Yomiuri Giants 1986 Hiroshima Toyo Carp 1985 Hanshin Tigers

1984 Hiroshima Toyo Carp 1983 Yomiuri Giants 1982 Chunichi Dragons 1981 Yomiuri Giants 1980 Hiroshima Toyo Carp 1979 Hiroshima Toyo Carp 1978 Yakult Swallows 1977 Yomiuri Giants 1976 Yomiuri Giants 1975 Hiroshima Toyo Carp 1974 Chunichi Dragons 1973 Yomiuri Giants 1972 Yomiuri Giants 1971 Yomiuri Giants 1970 Yomiuri Giants 1969 Yomiuri Giants 1968 Yomiuri Giants 1967 Yomiuri Giants 1966 Yomiuri Giants 1965 Yomiuri Giants 1964 Hanshin Tigers 1963 Yomiuri Giants 1962 Hanshin Tigers 1961 Yomiuri Giants 1960 Taiyo Whales 1959 Yomiuri Giants 1958 Yomiuri Giants 1957 Yomiuri Giants 1956 Yomiuri Giants 1955 Yomiuri Giants 1954 Chunichi Dragons 1953 Yomiuri Giants 1952 Yomiuri Giants 1951 Yomiuri Giants 1950 Shochiku Robins

Central League Climax Series winners

• 2011 Chunichi Dragons
• 2010 Chunichi Dragons
• 2009 Yomiuri Giants
• 2008 Yomiuri Giants
• 2007 Chunichi Dragons

Central League statistics

Team	Pennants	Runners-up
Yomiuri Giants	30	11
Chunichi Dragons	9	21
Hiroshima Toyo Carp	6	6
Yakult Swallows	6	4
Hanshin Tigers	5	14
Yokohama BayStars	2	4
Shochiku Robins	1	0

Most Valuable Pitcher

See: Best Nine Award#Other notes

Best Nine Awards

Main article: Best Nine Award

See also

• Nippon Professional Baseball

External links

• (Japanese) Official website
• Japanese Baseball Data Archive at The Baseball Guru
• List of players at Japanese Baseball