Lot # 99: 1960s Autographed Official Japan Pro Baseball--Four Nankai Hawks--3 HOFers Incl. Nomura & Sugiura

Category: Autographs

Starting Bid: $150.00

Bids: 1 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Auction 58 Ended 8/29/2020",
which ran from 8/10/2020 8:00 PM to
8/29/2020 11:00 PM



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.

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