Until now, the earliest piece of cardboard ever produced depicting Sadaharu Oh with a documented date of issue was thought to be the JBR 61 Shukan Shonen
Magazine card, which was inserted into the March 18, 1959 issue. That card, while still the earliest Oh rookie baseball card known, has been eclipsed by a postcard.
Boken Oh Magazine inserted this postcard into their March 1, 1959 issue, which was published on February 25, 1959. So, the torch has been passed to a degree.
Only two copies of this postcard are known in the hobby. Oh seems to be pitching in this colorized photo. During the 1959 pre-season, it was unknown whether Oh, a
two way player in high school, would be employed by the Yomiuri Giants as a pitcher or first baseman! Obviously, first base won out in the end.
The postcard was issued bound into the magazine, and has been carefully removed, leaving the original binding holes intact. Just above the holes is the Japanese text
suggesting that the owner should cut the top of the postcard at the level of the holes. However, this cut was never made. Most likely, the white portion of the card
along the top is not really part of the card design. Oh’s name, position and team name are printed in Japanese to the left of the image. Along the bottom, “Boken Oh
March gift” and “Sports Postcard” are printed. It is known that a second baseball postcard was originally included in the same magazine which features pitcher Eiji
Bando, who was also a rookie in 1959. However, the Bando postcard is not part of this lot. If you want to own Sadaharu Oh’s earliest card, don't pass up this
opportunity. Unused.
Size: 3 ½” x 5 ½”
Condition: Horizontal creasing near the top from the postcard’s originally having been issued bound inside a magazine. Otherwise would be Nm or better.