More than 300 former Yomiuri Giants players, including Hideki Matsui and Shigeo ¡°Mr. Giants¡± Nagashima, were at Tokyo Dome on Opening Night to participate in a ceremony celebrating the franchise¡¯s 80th anniversary.

So there was no way the present-day Kyojin were going to let their longtime archrivals crash the party.

¡°We never want to lose, especially against Hanshin,¡± said outfielder Itaru Hashimoto.