The Central League (セントラル・リーグ, Sentoraru Rīgu?) or Ce League (セリーグ, Se Rīgu?) is one the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consists of six teams from around the country.
The Central League was founded in 1949 with eight teams. Unlike the Pacific League, designated hitters are not used during Central League home games.
In 2007 a new Climax Series was introduced. This is a playoff series inspired by the stepladder playoff used in Pacific League for the top three teams of the league to determine who progresses to the Japan Series. Under the previous system, there was no post-season playoff and the winner of the pennant automatically qualified for the Japan Series.
Read more about Central League: Current Teams, Central League Pennant Winners, Central League Climax Series Winners, Central League Statistics, Most Valuable Pitcher
Famous quotes containing the words central and/or league:
“When life has been well spent, age is a loss of what it can well spare,—muscular strength, organic instincts, gross bulk, and works that belong to these. But the central wisdom, which was old in infancy, is young in fourscore years, and dropping off obstructions, leaves in happy subjects the mind purified and wise.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no harm shall touch you. In famine he will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword. You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and shall not fear destruction when it comes. At destruction and famine you shall laugh, and shall not fear the wild animals of the earth. For you shall be in league with the stones of the field, and the wild animals shall be at peace with you.”
—Bible: Hebrew, Job 5:19-23.