First off, we would like to call attention to the fact that these autographs appear on a vintage Official Japan Pro Baseball in high grade. Such balls were rarely used for autographs. The commissioner's seal, stamped on the ball, is plainly
seen. Second, all four of the players who autographed the ball were members of five Nankai Hawks Pacific League championship teams and two Hawks Japan Series championship squads between 1959 and 1966.
The signees are
(clockwise from upper left) Katsuya Nomura (HOF) (d. 2020) the catcher who hit 657 lifetime homers, Tadashi Sugiura (HOF) (d. 2001) a pitcher who went 38-4, 1.41 in 1959 and won 31 games in 1960, while striking out 336 and 317
during those two seasons, Yoshinori Hirose (HOF) a speedy infielder-outfielder who spent 23 seasons with the Hawks and is second all time in career stolen bases among all players, and Kiyohiro Miura (d. 2016) who pitched in 16 seasons
for the Hawks posting a 132-104, 3.09 record during his 19 year career. All in all, we have a great vintage official Japan Pro baseball with four Hawks immortals' signatures. Signed in black marker.
Size: Regular baseball size
Condition: Autographs--9 out of 10. Baseball--Nm.