This baseball and the signed ball in lot 94 were the property of General Lyman Lemnitzer. Lemnitzer, who was commander of forces in Asia at that time, attended at least one Tour game.
He later became Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President John F. Kennedy.
The Japan Amateur Baseball tournament began in 1927 and has been played every year to date, except for a wartime stoppage between 1943 and1945.
This very rare Caltex logo Official Non-Pro League ball has been autographed by the Nippon Sekiyu (Japan Oil) team, winners of the 1956 Japan Amateur Baseball championship.
Included is a signature of the tournament MVP and future pro baseball HOFer Motoshi Fujita. Fujita played eight seasons for the Yomiuri Giants and later managed the Giants for seven seasons.
The teams he managed won the Central League pennant four times and Japan Series twice.
Size: Regular sized baseball.
Condition: Signatures overall 8 of 10 with some bleeding.
Please visit us at the 29th National Sports Collectors Convention July 30 - August 3, 2008
Stephens Center Chicago IL Booth #405