The Hanshin Tigers, one of Japan's longest-established pro baseball franchises, is expanding its reach into the community by forming a women's baseball team this offseason.
Former Tiger Yuya Nohara will serve as manager of the "Hanshin Tigers Women" in the team's inaugural 2021 season, which starts with preseason training in February and competitive games after April.
"We're going to try hard to promote women's baseball," Nohara said. "We want to set an example for boys and girls nationwide."