The two scorebooks in this lot belonged to a Mr. Hideo Yoshitake. In the smaller, softbound one (Sanseido's Pocket Base Ball Score-Book), Mr. Yoshitake has scored games from the late 1920s and early 1930s. The larger, hardbound book (MK Shiki Base Ball Score-Book) covers the years 1934 to 1942. Most games scored in these books feature Tokyo Big Six University League teams. However, two games from the 1931 US Major League Japan Tour, and the first game of the 1934 US Major League All Star Japan Tour are neatly scored. Also, a 1941 Japan Pro Baseball game between the Tigers and Senators is scored. The scorebooks reflect a fifteen year period in which the scorer was quite a baseball enthusiast. The earlier book contains a number of childlike drawings. The later book is scored in a much steadier hand. One might conclude that Mr. Yoshitake began scoring these games as a child, and that he scored the final games as an adult. The games scored end in Fall 1942, with several scorebook pages unused. It makes one wonder whether Mr. Yoshitake entered the service at that time, and whether he ever returned. All names are written in Japanese. The scoring method is similar to US methods.
Size: Sanseido's Score-Book is 3 7/8" x 5 1/4" and 90 pages. MK Shiki Score-Book is 9 1/4" x 6 3/8" and 64 pages.
Condition: Sanseido's Score-Book--Vg/Ex due to loose binding. MK Shiki Score-Book is Ex. The writing is clearly legible in both books.
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