Harris McGalliard, also known as Bucky Harris in Japan, was an American catcher in Japan Professional Baseball beginning in the league's inaugural year of 1936. He played for Nagoya in 1936 and for the Eagles in 1937-38. He was voted league MVP for the Fall 1937 season. How did he get there? After attending the University of Southern California, he embarked upon an unsuccessful U.S. minor league career in the late 1920s. He then joined the Nisei team, Los Angeles Nippons. In 1935, the Nippons faced the Yomiuri Giants and lost to the immortal Eiji Sawamura 14-3. At this game, McGailliard met Atsushi Kono, who several months later became general manager of the Nagoya team. Kono later signed McGaillard for the 1936 Japan Pro Baseball season. During World War II, McGalliard served with the U.S. army in the Philippines as an interrogator of Japanese prisoners of war. One prisoner whom he interrogated recognized him immediately. It was former opponent Tamotsu Uchibori, a catcher for the Yomiuri Giants from 1936 to 1951!

This item is an official Japan Pro Baseball League (NPBL) baseball with McGalliard’s inscription, “Home Run Ball, Sept. 4th, 1938, Tokyo Japan, Babe, Bucky Harris.” This was his first homer of the Fall 1938 season. This is truly a important artifact of early Japan pro baseball. The ball itself may be the earliest surviving NPBL baseball known.

Size: Regular baseball size

Condition: Unfortunately, the inscription only rates a 1 to 3 out of 10 (depending on the portion). The ball, however, while exhibiting some wear from game use, is gorgeous, with strong stampings and colorful seams.