Play Ball! (2026)

I'm continuing my Opening Day tradition of doing a post showing a baseball card from the last year that each of the 12 NPB teams won the Nippon Series which was inspired by (or stolen from) the series of posts that Night Owl Cards has been doing for a while now for MLB teams. 

The last time the HAWKS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2025 Epoch NPB #121

The last time the BAYSTARS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2024 Bandai Pro Baseball Deforme #BDC1-B01

The last time the TIGERS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2023 Epoch One #656

The last time the BUFFALOES won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2022 BBM 2nd Version #490

The last time the SWALLOWS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2021 BBM 1st Version #313

The last time the FIGHTERS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2016 BBM Genesis #018

The last time the EAGLES won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2013 Bandai Owners League 02 #111

The last time the GIANTS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2012 BBM No-hitters #81

The last time the MARINES won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2010 BBM 20th Anniversary #190

The last time the LIONS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2008 SCM #94

The last time the DRAGONS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2007 BBM Draft Story #117

The last time the CARP won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

1984 Calbee #152

All 12 current NPB teams have won the Series at least once so there are no "Photo Not Found" teams.

 

Play Ball (2025)

I'm continuing my Opening Day tradition of doing a post showing a baseball card from the last year that each of the 12 NPB teams won the Nippon Series which was inspired by (or stolen from) the series of posts that Night Owl Cards has been doing for a while now for MLB teams:

The last time the BAYSTARS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2024 Baystars Bento

The last time the TIGERS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2023 Topps 206 #107 Stadium Background Parallel

The last time the BUFFALOES won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2022 Calbee Series Three #181 (Yuma Mune)

The last time the SWALLOWS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2021 Epoch One #723

The last time the HAWKS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2020 BBM Hawks #H57

The last time the FIGHTERS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2016 Calbee All Stars #AS-06

The last time the EAGLES won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2023 BBM Eagles #E08 Foil Parallel

The last time the GIANTS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2012 BBM All Stars #A42

The last time the MARINES won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2010 BBM/Georgia Coffee #033

The last time the LIONS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2008 BBM Back To The 70's #119

The last time the DRAGONS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2007 Calbee Series One #061

The last time the CARP won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

1984 Takara Carp #8 (Koji Yamamoto)

All 12 current NPB teams have won the Series at least once so there are no "Photo Not Found" teams.

Given that I've stopped buying new cards, I don't know what the future of these posts are.  I haven't decided if I'll retire it or use scans I grab from the web.  I probably won't make up my mind until next year.

Play Ball (2024)

 I'm continuing my Opening Day tradition of doing a post showing a baseball card from the last year that each of the 12 NPB teams won the Nippon Series which was inspired by (or stolen from) the series of posts that Night Owl Cards has been doing for a while now for MLB teams:

The last time the TIGERS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2023 BBM Tigers #T57

The last time the BUFFALOES won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2022 Epoch NPB #241

The last time the SWALLOWS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2021 Calbee #211

The last time the HAWKS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2020 BBM 1st Version #037

The last time the FIGHTERS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2016 BBM Fighters #F43

The last time the EAGLES won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2013 Calbee #AS-23

The last time the GIANTS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2012 BBM 2nd Version #601

The last time the MARINES won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2010 Calbee #081

The last time the LIONS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2008 BBM Lions 30th Anniversary #74

The last time the DRAGONS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2007 Dragons #37

The last time the BAYSTARS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

1998 BBM #293

The last time the CARP won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

1984 Calbee #36

All 12 current NPB teams have won the Series at least once so there are no "Photo Not Found" teams.

When I started doing these posts six years ago, I only had six Tigers cards from 1985.  I used the last of those six last year so it was really convenient for me that the Tigers won so I didn't have to repeat any cards.

Play Ball (2023)

I'm continuing my Opening Day tradition of doing a post showing a baseball card from the last year that each of the 12 NPB teams won the Nippon Series which was inspired by (or stolen from) the series of posts that Night Owl Cards has been doing for a while now for MLB teams. 

The last time the BUFFALOES won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2022 Topps NPB #27

The last time the SWALLOWS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2021 Konami Baseball Collection #202100-R-S055-00

The last time the HAWKS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2020 Epoch Hawks Rookies & Stars #12

The last time the FIGHTERS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2016 BBM Classic #007

The last time the EAGLES won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2013 BBM 2nd Version #608

The last time the GIANTS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2012 BBM Giants #G016

The last time the MARINES won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2010 BBM 2nd Version #706

The last time the LIONS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2008 Calbee #081

The last time the DRAGONS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2007 Shukan Baseball #8-4/4

The last time the BAYSTARS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

1998 BBM Baystars Get The Flag! II #YB62

The last time the TIGERS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

1985 Calbee #176 (Katsuo Hirata)

The last time the CARP won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

1984 Mizuno #34 (Kazuhisa Kawaguchi)

All 12 current NPB teams have won the Series at least once so there are no "Photo Not Found" teams.

Play Ball (2022)

I'm continuing my Opening Day tradition of doing a post showing a baseball card from the last year that each of the 12 NPB teams won the Nippon Series which was inspired by (or stolen from) the series of posts that Night Owl Cards has been doing for a while now for MLB teams.  This is the fifth year I've done this and the first time the Hawks aren't the defending champions so this was a nice change of pace.

The last time the SWALLOWS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2021 Epoch NPB #404

The last time the HAWKS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2020 Epoch One #288/SH-029

The last time the FIGHTERS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2016 Pro Yakyuu AI #42

The last time the EAGLES won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2013 Calbee #216

The last time the GIANTS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2012 Giants Victory #5

The last time the MARINES won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2010 BBM Marines #M17

The last time the LIONS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2008 Lions Fan Club #11

The last time the DRAGONS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

2007 BBM Climax Series Dragons #D21

The last time the BAYSTARS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

1998 Calbee East Special #E-41

The last time the BUFFALOES* won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

1996 BBM All Stars #A43

The last time the TIGERS won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

1985 Calbee #203 (Masayuki Kakefu)

The last time the CARP won the Nippon Series, cards looked like this:

1984 Takara Carp #24 (Yutaka Ohno)

*The Buffaloes were called the BlueWave in 1996

All 12 current NPB teams have won the Series at least once so there are no "Photo Not Found" teams.