All baseball memorabilia Japanese

[71buc]

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.

[Mark70Z]

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!

[71buc]

Originally Posted by Mark70Z

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

[Mark70Z]

Originally Posted by Mark70Z

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!

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?

[Kawika]

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


Michio Nishizawa HOF

[sforaker]

From 1934 Tour of Japan.

[seattlerainiers]

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!

[71buc]

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".