Saitama Seibu and Giants alumnus operate the Legend Express ``We want the alums to join us in enlivening the baseball world.''

-Please tell us your impressions of today's Legend Express Tour.

Ishige:I'm grateful that I was able to deliver my voice live in front of the fans for the first time in a while, and it made me feel good. I received a lot of questions from everyone, and it made me realize once again how grateful I am to be a baseball fan. I'd be very happy if I could create a moment that made everyone happy, even just a little. I had a really good time.

horn:"Anyway, I want to support the current professional baseball as much as I can."This was something I had always wanted to do, so with the help of some former Legend members we were able to make this happen and had a really enjoyable day.



--What do you think about the way the two teams have fought so far?

horn:It is no exaggeration to say that "he who wins the interleague games wins the pennant." I wonder if the Saitama Seibu Lions have a chance... (laughs). The Giants are in a good position, so I want them to win three games in a row to catch up with the first place Yakult. I hope Manager Hara will do his best. Thank you.

Ishige:The Seibu Lions have had many injuries and are unable to field a full roster as they would like, but with Wakabayashi (who had been sidelined due to injury) recently making his return, I think the team's condition is gradually improving.

When playing against the Giants, the team naturally puts in more effort, and although they have been in a bit of a slump recently, I hope that this match against the Giants will be the catalyst that will allow the Saitama Seibu Lions, led by Manager Tsuji, to show their true strength.


  
--It was a rare event held inside a train. What were your impressions of participating?

Ishige:It was my first experience. There is a distance between the field and the stands at the baseball stadium, but it was a great experience to be able to talk to the fans up close.

Although I am no longer involved in the field and am getting older, I believe I can provide a different perspective from other generations on the history of professional baseball. It was a meaningful time for me as well, as I was able to deepen my interactions with everyone, including some grand discussions on topics such as "What kind of baseball do you want to see in the future?"

horn:I have been cooperating since the planning stage, and I just want to support the current professional baseball. With the help of former legends, I want to close the gap with the fans. I want to make the current professional baseball even better, so I hope I can help make that happen. It was my first attempt to use a railway, and I'm glad I was given the opportunity to take on the challenge.



--Please tell us your impressions and memories of the two teams you played against during your active playing days. 

Ishige:We researched and improved our skills on how to beat the Giants, the leaders of the baseball world. The existence of the Giants was a great source of inspiration for us, and I think it also helped us grow.

horn:In our time, the blue uniforms worn by Lions players were truly amazing. Ishige-san called them the "leaders of the baseball world," but I think the Seibu Lions were the better players at the time. So, in a way, we also had the feeling of "beat the Lions!"
      
Ishige:  The 1983 Japan Series against the Giants was fun. In a situation where we didn't know which way to go, we managed to grab victory with a comeback or a walk-off. It gave me confidence to be able to fight confidently on such a big stage, and it was a lot of fun. I'm sure the fans enjoyed it too. In that sense, the Giants were a worthy opponent that brought out the charm of baseball.

I hope that the current players will also keep in mind the feeling that "I am working hard for the fans, the people around me, and myself" and give it my all.
We also want to spread the appeal of baseball.

horn:Fans who know about the time when we played often tell us, "Those were fun days."

Today's baseball world is filled with great players, including pitcher Roki Sasaki of the Chiba Lotte Marines. I believe that we alumni are expected to "make the baseball world even more exciting," so I would like to continue supporting the professional baseball world.Do you have any memories of playing against each other in the Japan Series?

Ishige:In our time, the Giants had Egawa, Nishimoto, Sadaoka, and Kaku. After that, they had famous pitchers such as Kuwata, Makihara, and Mizuno. How to break down the Giants' pitchers? I was looking forward to playing against the Giants' pitchers, and they were also a catalyst for us to work hard. I am grateful to the Giants for motivating me.

horn:I had an elbow injury at the time, so I don't have many memories of playing against him. I hardly ever pitched there either (laughs).



After the run, the legendary former members of both teams took a commemorative photo.

Seibu:Ken Hirano, Hirohisa Matsunuma, Yukihiro Nishizaki, and Hironori Ishige
Giant:Hiromi Makihara, Shinichi Murata, Shoji Sadaoka, Masao Kado, and Yoshitaka Katori
(*Yoshitaka Katori, who participated in the event as a former Giants player, also played for Seibu.)

vehicle:Seibu Railway 40000 series
section:Ikebukuro - Seibu Stadium (chartered service)
price:12,000 yen (1 adult)

[Interview cooperation and photo provided by] Seibu Railway Co., Ltd. and Seibu Lions Co., Ltd.