Any vintage Japanese baseball experts here?
 

I’m picking up this photo and there’s a note written on the back that says “Jap baseball player”, but nothing further.

Anyone have any thoughts about the player, team, etc? Professional? College?

All guesses are welcome!

Given what is written on the back and the presence of barbed wire in the foreground my first thought was that it might have been taken at an internment "camp" during WWII. However, the trees in the background don't look like any of my family's pictures from that time. They were sent to California and Utah locations and were basically in desert locations in the middle of nowhere, but they both had baseball fields.

Interesting take! The vehicle on the left in the distance certainly looks like an army jeep. The concrete slab looks interesting as well.

Could the N be a generic patch for Nippon?

I have a small collection of Japanese baseball items, 1900-1930’s, mostly cards, programs and photos. The baseball cap was like our cap in size , shape etc. The cap this player is wearing reminds me of the Japanese military fatigue cap, it fits the shape of one , has a narrower crown, etc. ( see photos below)
Also, the back caption was clearly written by an American GI, probably his guard, “Jap Baseball Player”, but the cap is the key.
My guess is, it could be taken in Japan, post war occupation and this “soldier” is still wearing his military fatigue cap. I agree the N is most likely for Nippon, and I think EFF , when they were making the real stuff, made a jersey similar to that one in the photo. Problem is, you can’t access the old info online.
That is my guess, hence the US jeep, barbed wire etc.

Rob Fitts is the expert on Japanese baseball. I'm pretty sure he is a member here, but I don't know his username. If you google him, you will likely find a lot of info and he is a great guy.



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Photo finally arrived today. Here’s some more clear photos.

Recently watched a video on Victor Starffin, great Russo-Japanese picture. There were several photos of Japanese ball players in uniform during WW2 wearing the army fatigue cap instead of a traditional ball cap. I’m positive that’s a army fatigue cap in his head