This is a seldom seen JK 25 karuta card of Havana native Chico Barbon. As a 22-year-old, Barbon left his native land to join the Hankyu Braves in 1955. He ultimately played 11 seasons in Japan. Rather than returning to Castro's Cuba after his playing career ended, Barbon remained in Japan, where even today, he is a prominent member of the Japanese baseball scene. JK 25 is one of the scarcest karuta sets ever issued. It carries the scarcity factor of R4 in the Japanese Baseball Card Checklist & Price Guide, Vintage Edition 2.1 by Gary Engel, signifying that 10 or fewer copies of each card are known in the hobby. Blank backed.

Size: 2 11/32" X 3 15/32"

Condition: Ex