On very rare occasions, we have seen cards from this set before, the last time being in one of our auctions held in 2005. We know there are non-sport cards in the set, and different examples of three of the four cards in this lot were included in the 2005 auction lot. Therefore, we assume that not many baseball players were included in the set.

Victor Starffin (HOF) (upper left) was a Russian born immigrant whose parents fled the Russian Revolution. When the US Major Leaguers came to Japan in 1934, they were shocked to find a tall blond caucasian pitching for the Japanese team! During the 1930s, '40s and '50s, Starffin pitched in Japan Pro Baseball, becoming the first pitcher to win 300 games lifetime.

Tetsuharu Kawakami (HOF) (upper right) and Hiroshi Oshita (HOF) (lower left) were rivals for the title of best Japanese hitter during the 1940s and 1950s. Kawakami was famed for using a red bat, while Oshita was known for his blue bat. These colored bats are pictured on the offered cards. In 1950, Japan Pro Baseball split into two leagues. Kawakami played in the Central League, while Oshita played in the Pacific League, so they never faced each other during the regular season after that time. This invited comparisons by their fans in the same vein as Mantle vs. Mays debates in the US during the same period. While both were star players during their careers, Kawakami later became Japan's most successful manager ever, while Oshita's short managerial career was generally considered to be a disaster. Tokuji Iida (HOF) (lower right) was a first baseman whe spent his entire 17 year career with the Hawks and Swallows. At one point he played in 1,208 consecutive games. Blank backed.

Size: Each card is about 13/16" in diameter.

Condition: The cards are all Nm/Mt but off center to various degrees as is common with color bordered round menko of the period.