The most powerful team of the 1980s and early '90s, the Seibu Lions captured their seventeenth pennant in 1997 after a two year hiatus. But the current team differs quite a bit from their dominant forbears. Instead of power, the Lions now rely on speed, and their symbolic poster boy is shortstop Kazuo Matsui who stole 62 bases in 1997.

Similar to the Turner Broadcasting Braves, the Lions are one of the wealthiest teams in Japan. Owned by Yoshiaki Tsutsumi, at one time listed as the world's richest man, the team has managed to get some of the best players in Japan into its deep pockets.

Four of those who played during the 1982-94 Seibu dynasty include Koji Akiyama (394 career home runs), Kazuhiro Kiyohara (361 HRs), Orestes Destrade (three straight home run crowns) and pitcher Kimiyasu Kudo (144-78, 1755 strikeouts, 3.23 ERA). Though Destrade retired, the other three have all moved on to other teams.

Founded in 1950, the Lions quickly became one of the Pacific League's most dominant teams, winning four pennants in their first decade. From 1952-69, third baseman Futoshi Nakanishi led the Lions' offense with a .307 career batting average and 244 home runs. In addition to winning a PL record 42 games in 1961, Kazuhisa Inao (1956-69) posted a lifetime 276-137 record with a 1.39 ERA. Playing with a team that offered little run support during the 1970s, Osamu Higashio (1969-88) compiled a 251-247 career record while earning two MVP awards.

Since 1995, Higashio has managed the Lions with mixed results. Leading Seibu to their first losing season (1996) in over fifteen years, Higashio was on watch when the Lions captured the 1997 PL pennant. A man who often plays hunches, the 48-year-old skipper has often been accused of offering little leadership or direction.

Higashio clearly revealed his deficiencies as manager during the 1997 Japan Series when the Swallows exploited several of his tactical blunders. It almost looked as if the Lions won the 1997 pennant in spite of their manager.

Led by shortstop Kazuo "Little" Matsui (as opposed to big Giants slugger Hideki Matsui), the Lions stole 200 bases. Third baseman Ken Suzuki (.309, 19 HRs, 94 RBIs) would have been a good choice for MVP but that honor and the Sawamura Award went to right-handed hurler Fumiya Nishiguchi (15-5, 192 strikeouts, 3.12 ERA). DH Domingo "Maru-chan" Martinez clubbed 31 homers but proved in the Japan Series that defense is not his strength.

Reserve-catcher Taisei Takagi will likely remain at first base until catcher and MVP runner-up Tsutomu Ito grows too old to play every day. Aside from an inconsistent bullpen (blame it on Higashio's whims) and a big gap at second base, the Lions are a solid team.

In addition to building a dynasty, Tsutsumi also created Japan's finest ballpark. Actually an amphitheater dug into the side of a hill, Seibu Lions Stadium lies forty minutes west of Tokyo. With a roof scheduled to cover the field by the beginning of the 1998 season, Lions Stadium may lose one of its nicest features, a beautiful panoramic view of of the surrounding area. With or without the ceiling, the family of furry Lions mascots will continue roaming the field between innings.