Everyone at Tokyo Dome knew what Yomiuri Giants public address announcer Daisuke Takahashi was going say. They just needed to hear him say it one more time, one last time.
"Catcher, Abe Shinnosuke," Takahashi, voice rising to a scream, announced as the Giants took the field.
Shinnosuke Abe, one of the most beloved players in team history, officially announced this season would be his last on Wednesday. Which made Friday's game, a 6-4 win over the Yokohama BayStars, not only the end of the regular-season home slate, but suddenly the end of an era.
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