Morinaga Confectionary Co. created the Morinaga Beltline in 1928. The Beltline was the first chain of retail stores in Japan. In order to promote the chain, Morinaga issued this postcard related to the 1931 U.S. All Stars Tour of Japan. This is the only example of this postcard known in the hobby, and is a recent discovery.

The Japanese text printed on the Lou Gehrig image states, "Gehrig home run king". Gehrig won the A.L. home run title in 1931. Other text found on the postcard includes "Morinaga Chocolate" at lower right, "Nagoya Morinaga Beltline" at upper left, and "Miyatake Keio U. pitcher".

Everyone reading this lot description knows the Lou Gehrig story. However, many readers may not be familiar with Saburo Miyatake. From 1927 to 1930, Miyatake attended Keio U., where he was a superstar both on the mound and at first base. During his university career, he won 39 games as a pitcher, while losing only six. His record of 15 wins in a row stood until 1984. He also had a lifetime batting average of over .300. He later played in the early years of Japan Pro Baseball, once again pitching and playing first base. He was elected to the Japan Baseball Hall of Fame in 1965.

This postcard would certainly be at home in any Lou Gehrig or Tour of Japan collection.

Unused

Size: 3 1/2" x 5 1/2"

Condition: PSA Good 2
We’ve also included images taken prior to grading to give you a clearer view of the item’s original condition.