The final Japan Series of the 20th century promises to be a trip down memory lane, oozing with nostalgia, as two of baseball's brightest stars square off as managers for the championship of professional baseball.
The pairing of former Yomiuri Giants teammates Sadaharu Oh and Shigeo Nagashima as opposing managers has not only sparked a renewed interest in the series among casual baseball fans, but is being seen as a "dream showdown" by television executives and marketing moguls. Oh and Nagashima, who were the super nova of the Yomiuri galaxy during the Giants glory days in the 1960s and 1970s, will be meeting for the first time as managers when the best-of-seven series gets under way at the Tokyo Dome on Oct. 21.
Oh, 60, who retired as a player 20 years ago, comes into the series as the skipper of the defending champion Daiei Hawks of the Pacific League.