Yang Daigang, a famous player living in Japan, retired from the game today, bringing an end to his 21-year professional baseball career.

Yang Daigang, a famous player in Japan, will have his retirement match today. (Taken from Niigata Swan Emperor IG)

[Special Correspondent Ni Wanjun/Reporting from Niigata, Japan] The 39-year-old Japanese star Yang Daigang will have his retirement match at 5 pm Taiwan time today. His Oisix Niigata Swan King will face Rhodes II at the home court Hard Off Eco Stadium with a capacity of 30,000 people. He will also start the game as a "1st baseball, center fielder", ending his 21-year career with a classic role. Jingtian Japan Channel will also broadcast the game, and the team will arrange a grand retirement ceremony after the game.

Yang Dai Gang came to Taiwan with Niigata at the end of February this year to have an exchange game with the Taiwan Steel Eagles. At that time, he revealed his thoughts on retirement in an interview, and said frankly: "I can't play until my 40s! It's too tiring." It was not until July 27 that he officially announced through the team that he would retire after the end of this season. The news still shocked the Taiwanese and Japanese football circles. On August 1, a retirement press conference was held in Niigata City to officially explain his decision to bid farewell to his playing career.

Please read on...

Before officially retiring from the game, Yang Daigang also said goodbye to his former clubs one after another. When he visited the Giants II on August 17 and the Hams II on August 27, both former clubs arranged retirement ceremonies, which also gave him the opportunity to say goodbye to the fans of his old club who had supported him all the way.

Today is the real last game. Yang Daigang will say goodbye to the fans in the last professional team of his career, and will end his career with the most classic bat and position. Yang Daigang was selected No. 1 by Nippon Ham in the 2005 Japanese Professional Draft. He started his career the following year. He initially developed as an infielder, then moved to the outfield, and played his most representative glory years as a center fielder. Especially during the Ham period, he relied on his excellent speed, judgment and fielding range to stand in the center field. He won the recognition of the Western League Outfielder's Golden Glove 4 times. The center field has almost become the most distinctive symbol of his career in Japan.

Yangdai Steel started the game at Nagaoka Stadium on the 23rd and still worked hard to face every game. (Photo by special correspondent Ni Wanjun)