This remarkable photo album, used as an autograph book, contains a total of 52 signatures from both Japanese and Americans involved with the St. Louis Cardinals’ 1958 Tour of Japan.
Most pages, which measure 7 1/2" x 11 7/8", display just a single signature on each side, allowing for an easy "breakup" of the book if so desired.
The key signature in this lot is of 1958 Rookie Shigeo Nagashima (HOF).
Nagashima went on to become the most revered player in Japan Pro Baseball history, and a cultural icon. His rookie autographs are extremely difficult to obtain.
Moreover, on this occasion, in addition to signing his name in a bold hand, Nagashima also penned "1958" and "Giants", adding to the desirability and scarcity of this signature.
Including Nagashima, there are 34 autographs from members of the Japanese all-star team who played against the Cardinals. A whopping 16 of these players are Japan Baseball Hall of Fame members.
The most notable is Hawaiian Wally Yonamine, the former San Francisco 49ers running back. Other Hall of Famers include Osamu Mihara (mgr.), Kaoru Betto, Atsushi Aramaki, Tatsuro Hirooka, Kazuhisa Inao,
Shigeru Mizuhara, Yasumitsu Toyoda, Tetsuya Yoneda, Kazuto Tsuruoka, Kenjiro Tamiya, Motoshi Fujita, Futoshi Nakanishi, Kazuhiro Yamauchi and Noboru Akiyama.
Other Japanese stars inculde Tooru Mori, Mitsuo Uno, Kiyoshi Doi, Yoji Tamatsukuri, Hideshi Miyake, Shoichi Busujima, Takao Yato, Noboru Inoue, Shigeru Fujio, Takao Katsurugi, Hiroomi Ohyane,
Katsumi Nakanishi, Kihachi Enomoto, Masayuki Dobashi, Andy Miyamoto (Hawaiian), Bill Nishita (Hawaiian) and Jack Ladra.
Representatives from the Cardinals include HOFer Stan Musial, celebrated baseball author Jim Brosnan, Sam Jones, Wilmer Mizell, Hal Smith, Wally Moon, Larry Jackson, Gene Green,
Ray Katt, Alex Grammas, Lee Tate, Phil Paine, Bill Wight, Bob Bauman (Trainer), Solly Hemus, etc.
Size: Album: 9 1/2" x 11 1/2"
Condition: Signatures 10 out of 10.
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