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My only Japanese item is this Babe Ruth postcard. It is a 1928 Shonen Kulubu

SWEET postcard! :cool:

Here are my baseballs.

Actually this is from the August 1929 issue of Shonen Club Magazine.

<h4>Here are some items from my personal collection<p>1908 Washington University tour tickets<br>Yakyukai (Baseball World) Magazines<br>Meiji Era (Pre 1913) Books<p><IMG src="http://www.klevens.com/items.jpg">

I picked up these two from Robert Kleven's most recent auction at Prestige Collectibles. I won the auction for these two lots on Tuesday and received them yesterday. I was very impressed with his customer service and I highly recommend him.

Although I don't generally collect Japanese baseball items I love the colors and graphic design of their oversized posters depicting members of their HOF. Thankfully these are pretty scarce because I'm addicted to them and cannot afford them often. I loved Godzilla movies and baseball as a kid and these are the perfect blend of the two.

The first is a movie poster from 1957 measures 10.5" X 28.5" and features Tetsuharu Kawakami March 23, 1920 – October 28, 2013 was a Japanese baseball player and manager. Born in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto, he played for the Yomiuri Giants between 1938 and 1958, being nicknamed (dageki no kamisama, "the God of Batting/Hitting") In 1951, he whiffed only 6 times, which is the Japanese single-season tie record. He was a professional player for 18 years, winning the batting title five times, two home run crowns, three RBI titles, and had six titles for the most hits in a season. He was the first player in Japanese pro baseball to achieve 2,000 hits and was named the league's MVP three times. As a manager, he was known for his ruthless, tough-love style, but he led the Yomiuri Giants to nine consecutive championships

The second poster is circa 1953, advertises whiskey, measures 14.75" X 21" and features Fumio Fujimura. Fujimura was born August 14, 1916 in Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture, died May 28, 1992. He played for the Osaka Tigers in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. In the 1933 National High School Baseball Championship, Fujimura's team reached the quarterfinals but his opponent Masao Yoshida pitched a shutout in the game. In the final of 1934 National High School Baseball Championship, he faced Tetsuharu Kawakami and had three strikeouts in three at bats. He won the championship. In 1950, he recorded 191 hits. This record remained unbroken for 44 years, until Ichiro Suzuki in 1994. He was inducted to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. His number, 10, is retired with the Hanshin Tigers.

Brooks Robinson
 

I know the Orioles did a tour in Japan; does anyone have anything O's related to the trip.

Also, any Brooks Robinson related Japanese items?!?

By the way the Babe postcard is cool looking!

Here are some items from their previous auctions.

http://www.prestigecollectiblesaucti...etauctionid=86

http://www.prestigecollectiblesaucti...etauctionid=72

http://www.prestigecollectiblesaucti...ekword=Orioles

Did you make that up?

VERY funny!

Brooks Robinson
 

Mike,

Thanks for the links on the Brooks and O's related Japanese tour items.

Mark

Boog Powell, Brooks and Frank Robinson Magazine
 

I'm looking for a '71 Japanese magazine with Frank, Brooks and Boog on the cover in nice condition. Anyone have one of these available or can hook me up on where to find one?

I always come away with something cool from Robert Klevens's booth at the National. Am sorry to miss out this year. Picked up some 1950 Shonen Club premiums from him last year. They are about T3 size on thickish paper. The writing on the back is different on each card so I am deducing that it is particular to the player (can't read a word of it).

Kaoru Betto HOF
http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_...etto%20HOF.jpg http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_...ge/DMcD308.jpg

Michio Nishizawa HOF
http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_...zawa%20HOF.jpg

From 1934 Tour of Japan.

Japanese baseball in Seattle, 1910s
 

Here are a few neat images from the thriving Japanese Industrial Leagues in Seattle in the teens:

1. The Mikado team shot is taken at Seattle's Woodland Park, now the site of Woodland Park Zoo. Northwest baseball stalwart George Engel is present (1911 Obak):

http://www.baseball-reference.com/mi...d=engel-002geo

2. The Mikasa and Cherry teams are pictures at Dugdale Park, home of the Northwestern League Seattle Giants.

Check out that super-cool banner!

Reviving an old thread for purely self serving reasons. Ben's recent 1934 Tour of Japan thread rekindled my passion for large Japanese baseball related advertising posters. I picked this one up in Prestigecollectibles' most recent auction. Why can't I seem to remain focused in my collecting efforts?? Nonetheless I can't wait to receive it and get it framed.

I can't read it but the auction description is as follows. "This poster was an advertisement for a film about the 1959 Japan Series between the Yomiuri Giants and Nankai Hawks, in which the Hawks completed a four game sweep. An image of the Series' MVP, Tadashi Sugiura, appears on the poster, along Mr. Giants, Shigeo Nagashima, who was Sugiura's teammate at Rikkio University. The two players had each been named Rookie of the Year for 1958 in their respective leagues, so the Series was billed as a matchup of these two future Hall of Fame members. The color movie was filmed in Premier Scope and was produced by the Premier Film Company. It is thought that this movie was a contemporary newsreel or documentary".

Japan
 

Here are most of my Japanese items.
A circa 1951(?) Japanese card of DiMaggio and I think Lefty O'Doul. I think I got this one from Rob Fitts, but I cannot remember at the moment.
An unknown (unless one of you knows?) photo of a Giants player. I can't remember where I got that one (maybe Japan?).
And a magazine with Joe on the cover that I keep intending to frame and hang up, but keep forgetting to do.

Brooks Robinson Magazine
 

I picked up a Japanese magazine with Brooks Robinson and Shigeo Nagashima on the cover. In fairly nice shape as well...

Sean that's a very cool DiMaggio magazine cover. Sean congrats on finally finding the Robinson Japanese magazine. You've been looking for that one for awhile haven't you?

B. Robby
 

Yes it's been a long search, but finally found one in decent condition. I only know of two Japanese magazines with Brooks pictured on the cover; if there are any more I've never seen them. Also, he has a couple Japanese cards where he's pictured which I acquired years ago.

One thing that I've never found was photos of Brooks playing in Japan.

1920 Tour
 

I've always enjoyed collecting and seeing material from the many tours of Japan. Here's a rare team photo from the 1920-1921 "All American" and "All National" tour.

Awesome team photo Dave! Out of curiosity was this 1920 team associated with the University of Washington that toured Japan?

1920-21 Herb Hunter Baseball Tour of Japan Postcard?
 

Hi all.......just received this in the mail from a dealer in Holland. I was told it was Americans playing Japanese in the 1920's.
An identical postcard is shown on the VintageBall site under World Tours .
It says it is an image from the Herb Hunter Tour of Japan in 1920-21.
Any info as to what team, or person, etc would help, thanks, Mike

Back of postcard
 

Here is a picture of the back

I believe it is from that tour. I don't know the players shown, but the caption says it is the US pro team vs Waseda University.

Thank you
 

Thanks Robert.......I tried to look at other pictures to match the socks pattern, but sometimes it seems American players are wearing socks and footwear that the Japanese are wearing.
Anyway, appreciate the confirmation and translation.
Are these scare? Mike

Photo of Omori Baseball Team
 

Hi All......just got this in the mail today....a wonderful photo of the Omori Baseball Team. Judging by the type of photo and way it us presented, my guess would by early 1900's.......could be older......but I'm not sure. The only mark is in the corner where it says " SHINOHARA PHOTO STUDIO" with Kanji writing below.
The photo itself measures 5 1/2 by 7 1/2 inches and it us attached to the thin cardboard backing which measures 8 3/8 by 10 7/8 inches.
I finishing up my baseball room and have an area where I want to display a few Japanese images, not sure if to frame this or not.
I recently got a great 1931 Yakyukai Bromide large image of Osama Mihara, who played against the All Americans in 1934.

Any additional info someone may have on this would be appreciated, thanks, Mike

SHINOHARA label
 

Here is the label of the studio.

The back
 

Here is the back f the photo

A bit more contemporary than most things in this thread, but here's a collage of items I put together relating to Hideki Matsui's 500 HR (combined) milestone.

The uniform patch is a custom/prototype I designed. A's were going nowhere at the time and this was a unique, fun moment that I wished they'd done more to promote.

Japanese Photo Booklet
 

This 31/2 X 5 Inch booklet is contains a photo of a unknown , to me, player'
Behind the photo it says "Send To Agawa" in Japanese. The spider & web tissue is different. If anybody is familiar with the uniform please let me know.

Recent Acquisitions
 

I just recently got these delivered.
One is a 1931 Yakyukai magazine large Bromide of Osamu Mihara, who ,in 1934 , would play against Babe Ruth and the All Americans in Japan.

The second is a postcard of the 1934 all Americans and Japanese players in Tokyo.

Enjoy, Mike

The Postcard
 

Here is the front

Back
 

And here is the back.

Mike, I believe that postcard of the 1934 team was produced in the 1970s.

This is my only Japanese Baseball item. I'm curious to the era and what it is. I'm sure someone can tell me. Thanks.

Matt- that is a c.1957 card of Kazuhiko Sakazaki of the Yomiuri Giants. Probably worth only couple of dollars.

Correct
 

Hi Robert, yes, I recently found that out. Glad I snagged it for a good price.
I'm really enjoying this aspect of the hobby.
Wish I could get some info on that Omori Team photo I listed a while back. I've searched and cannot find out anything, except that area, Omori, was like of suburb of Tokyo, Mike

The kanji says the photo studio was in Hanno city in Saitama Prefecture which is just to the north of Tokyo. Omori is probably a school's name but I couldn't find anything about it.

Thanks
 

Thank you Robert,.......that is more than I knew before, appreciate the help, Mike

1913 Japanese Baseball Player Photograph
 

Here is my latest acquisition which arrived from Japan yesterday. It is a wonderful image of an early 20th Century Japanese ball player in full uniform holding his offensive weapon...the bat.
The clarity and condition of the image are great.
The measurements are:
Outer backing card: 3 3/8 x 5 inches
Photo itself: 2 1/2 x 3 6/8 inches

The seller said the following about the image:
Taken in 1913 ( Taisho Year 2)
Photo taken by Yamazaki in Tottori
Sentence in kanji on back
"Dear Taizo Yonehara
May 1913
Crazy baseball player
Santo Uga"

Now, unfortunately, I can't read what it says, I assume the seller could. He sold many old images of culture etc of this era. The image is large enough to enjoy and a nice addition to my small pre WW2 Japanese baseball collection. Enjoy, Mike

Back
 

Here is the back of the card with the Kanji

Close up
 

Close up of logo on cap and jersey

Close up
 

Close up of the bat

I don't know if anyone else might think this is cool, but it came up in one of my Giants searches...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/111897680464...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT