Known as the "Gentleman of Baseball," Kaoru Betto was a collegiate star who didn't begin professional play until he was 28 years old. The bespectacled right handed slugger had a graceful spread legged stance reminiscent of Joe DiMaggio. In each of his first six professional seasons, first with the Tigers, and later with the Orions, he was selected to the league Best 9 team as an outfielder. Interestingly, in the U.S., Betto is best known for being pictured on a shirt worn by Jeff Bridges in the movie, The Big Lebowski. The shirt has reached cult status and replicas are still widely sold today.

Betto signed this baseball card in blue ballpoint pen. We are not certain as to whether the JBR 50 set was produced in 1948 (Betto's rookie year) or in 1949. In any case, this signature is of much earlier vintage than any Betto autograph that we have offered in the past.

Size: 2 1/2" x 2 1/2"

Condition: Autograph--8 out of 10. Baseball card--Vg with some ink smudges on the front, and paper and glue residue on the blank back from having been glued into an album at one time.