All cards in the JF 26 Maruto Baseball Gum set feature close-up headshots. Thus, we are able to see what the player depicted looks like more clearly than on just about any other issue of the era. As a result, JF 26 cards are quite popular, though hard-to-find. The Japanese Baseball Card Checklist and Price Guide, Vintage Edition 2.1 has assigned a scarcity factor of R4 to this set, indicating that 10 or fewer examples of each card are known in the hobby.
Yoshio Yoshida was the premier defensive shortstop of the postwar era. He wasn't bad with the stick either, compiling a .267 lifetime batting average while striking out less than 5% of the time and leading the league in sacrifice bunts on four occasions. He played his entire career (1953-1969) with the Hanshin Tigers. Yoshida was the Tigers' manager during their historic 1985 championship season.
Size: 1 1/4" x 2 1/8"
Condition: Vg-Vg/Ex