Brandon Laird, a former player for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, is scheduled to attend the Fighters Championship Series on Wednesday, June 24th. He will be appearing alongside Hirotoshi Masui and Sho Nakata in the pre-game ceremony and post-game talk event.
Brandon Laird played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters for four years, from 2015 to 2018. From his first year with the team, he made his presence felt as a key player in the batting lineup, and was a slugger loved by fans for his power hitting and cheerful personality. In 2016, he hit 39 home runs, winning the Pacific League Home Runs Award and being named to the Best Nine, contributing to the team's come-from-behind championship victory after being down by as much as 11.5 games. In that year's Japan Series, he also supported the team with his clutch hitting, hitting a grand slam in Game 6 that clinched the championship. Along with his "sushi pose" after hitting a home run, he remains in the memories of many fans as a symbol of the joy of 2016. Now, Laird will be visiting Escon Field Hokkaido for the first time.
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| Date | Participating Legend OBs |
|---|---|
| June 23rd (Tuesday) | Michihiro Ogasawara, Makoto Kaneko, Shinya Tsuruoka, and Kensuke Tanaka, who symbolize the 2006 Japan Series championship. |
| Wednesday, June 24th | Hirotoshi Masui, Brandon Laird, and Sho Nakata, who symbolize Japan's No. 1 team in 2016. |
Legendary former players, dressed in their original uniforms, will appear and participate in a first pitch ceremony to pass on their passion and determination to the current players who will be challenging for the national championship in 2026.
We will be holding a talk event where legendary former players will reminisce about their experiences from that time. It will be held on the field after the game, so please watch from your seats.
