Kokutetsu Swallows

Japan Series Titles: 0

Central League Pennants: 0

Franchise Player: Masaichi Kaneda was often a one-man team

The present-day Yakult Swallows were originally known as the Kokutetsu Swallows. Beginning play in the Central League in 1950, the team was generally an also-ran. In 1965 it was sold to the Sankei company, which renamed them the Sankei Swallows that year.

Kokutestu managers

• 1950-1953: Norio Nishigaki
• 1954-1955: Soichi Fujita
• 1956-1960: Mitsuo Uno
• 1961-1962: Kuninobu Sunaoshi
• 1963: Shinji Hamazaki
• 1964-1965: Giichi Hayashi
• 1965: Kuninobu Sunaoshi

New Team

Tokyo Yakult Swallows 1950 - 1965 (midseason)

Succeeded by Sankei Swallows