Sega Sammy's Rooters cheering squad will be disbanded at the end of this season. The article traces its history since its founding and features first captain Osawa Kei (大沢けい) discussing the events that shaped it and his thoughts ahead of the squad's final bid to reach the Japan Championship.
The Rooters, a cheering squad for corporate baseball, are taking part in the Kanto qualifiers for the Japan Championship alongside the baseball team, which is set to be disbanded at the end of this season. The squad's contributions since its founding were recognized at an awards ceremony, where its first captain, Osawa Kei (大沢けい), 50, received a special award. The stands at Jingu Stadium rang with chants of “Osawa.”
The squad was founded in 2004 to strengthen the bonds within Sega Sammy Holdings, which was created through the management integration of Sega and Sammy. Osawa was valued for his experience supporting the track and field team and establishing a dormitory, and moved to the company when the baseball team was founded, taking charge of establishing its cheering squad.
Although he recalls that at the time he “didn't know anything about corporate baseball itself,” he was struck by the huge crowds and passionate support and decided to start from scratch. In the squad's early years, including 2006, he stood in the stands as one of its first members during the second-round qualifiers for the Intercity Baseball Tournament, building up years of effort and commitment.
The article does not provide details on the decision to disband the team at the end of this season or its prospects thereafter, but describes the journey of the people who supported the squad's long-running activities and their efforts toward its final bid to reach the Japan Championship. It links the history of the Rooters with the current state of the Sega Sammy baseball team.