Hi Ryan,
I am glad that you got some more of these cards. I don't know if you ever picked up a copy of Gary's book, so here is who you have:
#55 is Kiyoshi Sugiura SS Chunichi Dragons
He played from 1946-1953, hit .255 w/125 HR. Managed for 5 yrs. in '60s .485 winning pct. Was a 32 year old rookie in '46.
#4 is Torao Ooka 1B Daiei Stars (Name pronounced OhOhka, not like the double O in hoop) Played from 1949-1951, 37 year old rookie in '49. Hit 34 HR in 1950. Career: .275, 61 HR.
#25 is Hirofumi Komae LF Hankyu Braves
1946-1950, .215 in 5 yrs.
#20 Tetsunosuke Fujiwara C Yomiuri Giants
Career: 1942-1954, hit .220 in 12 seasons.
#24 Shoji Arakawa 2B Taiyo Robins
1947-1955, hit .251 in 9 years, All Star in '51, and made a Best 9 team. Also a catcher.
#9 is Kazuo Horii LF Nankai Hawks
1943-1959, played 733 consecutive games, Best 9 in 1953, .272 in 16 yrs.
Also, Horii is not on Gary's checklist, so if you get the book you can add him in.
Scott,
I am a huge history fan as well, and absolutely love making the connections with historical events through my card collection. Like your neighbor, my Dad was also in the Navy in World War 2. He was a gunner in the Armed Guard- the Navy gun and radio crews that were deployed on the converted merchant ships that carried supplies or troops. He fired a 20mm cannon on the SS Sea Witch that landed the 4th Marine Division on the islands of Saipan and Tinian in the summer of 1944, and was credited with shooting down an attacking kamikaze fighter plane.
Since you are interested in the Japanese side as well, the father of my collecting friend from Tokyo was in the Japanese Army and survived the bloodbath that was Okinawa. Kiyoshi Sugiura, the first card in the list above, was on Rabaul in the Philippines during the war, and overall an even 50 Japanese players were killed in WWII. The list includes a few Hall of Famers like Eiji Sawamura who, as a 17 year old pitcher, lost to the touring Babe Ruth Major Leaguers 1-0 in 1934. The only run was a Lou Gehrig HR. The Japanese equivalent of the Cy Young Award is named after him.
Hope this information is of interest, thanks again for getting these cards Ryan.
Jeff
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