3 Cards (Vol 2)

So after my trip to Japan I brought back a big stack of cards. There were so many cards in that stack that I had no idea where to start when blogging about them. So instead of condensing them all into a big post (which most of you will only read a quarter of), I decided to blog about them at a rate of three cards at a time. Maybe some of them will make for interesting material, maybe they won't. Let's find out.

Card #1

During this past trip I didn't have a whole lot of time to devote to cards. But when I did, I tended to shy away from BBM stuff if I could help it. Reason being that BBM has had a long monopoly/chokehold on the Japanese baseball card world for basically forever. I did buy some BBM stuff mind you, but I was more interested in finding some non-BBM oddballs.

Case in point is this Nagoya Dome exclusive mini(-ish) card of Masahiko Morino.

I'm not 100% sure how these cards were originally distributed, but I'm guessing they were given out for free (or likely with some sort of purchase within the stadium).

The way these cards worked was that you'd scratch off the two circles in the back. According to this card, if you got a Home Run for the first "at-bat"/circle on the left then you got a pair of tickets to an actual game. If you got a Home Run for the second "at-bat"/circle on the right then you got a special replica jersey. I assume if you got a Home Run for both you'd get both prizes. If you won a prize you'd have to bring this card to what I'm guessing is the Nagoya Dome equivalent of Guest Relations by Gate #1 to claim your prize. According to this card you had to submit it by the eight inning.

Unfortunately the person who scratched off this card struck out both times and ended up with an obscure oddball that appeals only to oddballs like me.

Card #2

I know virtually nothing about the storied but murky world of Calbee trading cards and I consider that to be a huge detriment to myself. As some of you who received my most Zippy Zappings may have realized, a lot of them are very shiny and downright beautiful.

Of course this card isn't as refractory or shiny, but man is it quite something. What with the beautiful full bleed photography and action shot taken right at the perfect moment. Making up for how the gold facsimile signature (which looks nice) is blocking the barrel of the bat.

This is former Chunichi Dragons slugger Takeshi Yamasaki. Yamasaki enjoyed a 24-year career in the NPB playing for the Dragons, the Orix BlueWave and the Rakuten Golden Eagles. During that span he was a two time home run leader, an RBI leader, a six time All Star and two time All Star Game MVP. He played all the way from 1989 to 2013, a true feat in the world of athletics (even in the old boys' club that is Japanese baseball) and finished with 403 career dingers. Good for 18th all-time (as of January, 2018) in Japan.

Card #3

I had a very loose goal of obtaining a menko card of Shigeru Sugishita from his playing days during my trip to Japan. I didn't accomplish that because even the shop owners I talked to said they'd maybe seen one once during their whole lives. They're that fucking rare over there. So instead I picked up as many Sugishita cards in general as I could.

Most of the cards I picked up were of the BBM variety, but luckily for me I found this "Dream Nine" oddball made by DigiCube. As best as I can tell DigiCube were some trading card company that was around in 2000 and 2001 but has disappeared since. An Amazon listing tells me that these cards were originally sold exclusively at Circle-K convenience stores upon their release (Circle-K stores all got merged/turned into Family Marts in late 2016 BTW).

The back features Sugishita's complete career totals as an active player. The top of the card also lists his time as a manager for the Dragons, a coach for the Daimai Orions (the current day Chiba Lotte Marines), a coach for the Hanshin Tigers, a manager for the Hanshin Tigers, and a coach for the Yomiuri Giants.

Looking back on the three cards I talked about today, I'm quite pleased with the variety. And at the overall star-power.

As always thanks for stopping by and take care :).