Osaka Stadium, Baseball stadium in Naniwa-ku, Osaka, Japan
Osaka Stadium was a baseball stadium in Naniwa-ku, an urban district of Osaka, that could accommodate over 31,000 spectators. The seating areas were arranged in steep tiers to fit as many seats as possible on the limited urban plot.
The stadium opened in 1950, just five years after World War II, as Japan was rebuilding its infrastructure. It served as home to the Nankai Hawks until 1988, when the team moved to Fukuoka.
After its closure in 1997, the site was transformed into a modern shopping center where visitors now stroll and shop where players once ran across the field. The original pitcher's mound and home plate locations are still marked on the second floor of the mall.
The site is now known as Namba Parks, a shopping center with stores and restaurants spread across multiple floors. Visitors can find markings of the former baseball field on the second floor.
In 1951, this site became the first place in the Kansai region to install floodlights for baseball games, allowing evening matches. This technical addition drew larger crowds who could attend after work.
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