In 1931, Lefty Grove had a remarkable record of 31-4, winning the American League MVP award. After the season, he traveled to Japan with Lou Gehrig and a dozen other major league players to play against Japan's finest. The
postcard, issued by the Niitaka Seika Co., features Grove along with his facsimile signature. Consumers who mailed the postcard to the company had a chance to win one of 3,000 tickets to see a game from this historic series. The card
does contain a cancelled postage stamp along with the name and address of the individual that submitted the card. Only a handful of these postcards have ever been seen.
Niitaka Confectionary was founded in 1905 in Taiwan by a Japanese named Taro Morihira. The company's candy was exported to both Mainland China and Japan. In 1931, Niitaka Confectionary became the first company to sell bubble
gum in Japan, hence the tie-in with the 1931 Tour. The company ceased operations in 1971.
Size: 5 5/16" x 3 1/8"
Condition: Poor. There is extensive paper and glue residue on the back from previous adhesion to a photo album page. Also stains and various discolorations on the front.