There are only two known examples of this card. Japan Hall of Fame member, Takeshi Koba, joined the Hiroshima Carp in 1958 and was immediately installed as their regular shortstop. Near the end of the 1963 season, while carrying a .339 batting average into the final games, he was hit by a pitch, which resulted in a fractured jaw. He was never the same player again. However, he went on to manage the greatest Carp teams in history, known as the Red Helmets, who won three Japan Series during his tenure. The Morinaga Standups cards were originally imported to the U.S. by American servicemen in the late 1960s. As such, they have been widely known to American baseball card collectors longer than nearly any Japanese issue. These large size cards with their higher photo quality than American cards of the era and unique, easel type standup feature, have always been quite popular on both sides of the Pacific. However, what was unknown to collectors until recent years, is that there are five cards that were missing from the sets imported from Japan nearly 50 years ago. These five cards are even rarer than the four, almost non-existent Kabaya-Leaf cards, with the Koba card being one of the two scarcest. This card would be a special addition to any Morinaga Standups collection.

Size: 3 1/2" x 5 1/2"

Condition: Nm