Help identifying signatures on this 1934 Tour of Japan Baseball

[Topnotchsy]

I think Hawaii may be the key here.

On the panel with Foxx, the signature on the right appears to be Hans Pung, who was a member who played in that game.

Curious to know what people's thoughts are on the fact that this appears to be a Hawaii ball and not a ball signed in Japan (albeit with many of the same players...) Does that detract from the history? Add something?

It is possible it was initially partially signed in Japan and then signed in Hawaii (it seems to this point that the American players all signed first based on the location on their signatures...)

[almostdone]

Just curious but I thought that Moe Berg had been released by Cleavland during the tour so he ended up leaving and going across Asia on the trans Siberian railroad. I bring this up because he would not have been in Hawaii on the way back for the game being referenced. If this is true then maybe the ball traveled with the group and was signed along the way or maybe my facts are wrong and this is a wasted post.

Does any of this sound familiar to anyone else?
Drew

[Huck]

The game against the Hawaii All-Star team was played on the way to Japan not on the return trip. Purportedly, while the team was touring Japan, Berg was acting as a spy.

Hawaii is the key. In my opinion the Johnny Kerr signature solidifies the fact that the ball was signed at the game between the US All-Stars against the Hawaii All-Stars. I thought the same thing about the Pung signature, but with the scan and angle, it was hard to be sure.

I could find little information on the line up for the 1934 Hawaii All-Star team. The names I found are: Johnny Kerr, Ted Shaw, Ted Nobriga and Francis Goo.

Thinking there might be some holdovers on the 1935 Hawaii touring team, I found the line up.

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar.../ln/ln38a.html


There is a Rodrigues listed and but it is hard to tell if the name is a match for one of the two Rodrigues on the ball.

The last name for the signature under Gehringer (panel 3) looks to be Douglas. Which could be Lionel Douglas the Captain of the ship the Empress of Japan. It makes sense that the Captain would have attended the game.

(page 77) https://books.google.com/books?id=V_...hawaii&f=false

It is hard to tell with the quality of the scans but the last name on panel 5 could be Nobriga, but it also looks like the name Bridges.

[almostdone]

Originally Posted by biohazard

The game against the Hawaii All-Star team was played on the way to Japan not on the return trip. Purportedly, while the team was touring Japan, Berg was acting as a spy.

Thank you for clearing that up.
Drew

[Huck]

Originally Posted by Topnotchsy

I think Hawaii may be the key here.

On the panel with Foxx, the signature on the right appears to be Hans Pung, who was a member who played in that game.

Curious to know what people's thoughts are on the fact that this appears to be a Hawaii ball and not a ball signed in Japan (albeit with many of the same players...) Does that detract from the history? Add something?

It is possible it was initially partially signed in Japan and then signed in Hawaii (it seems to this point that the American players all signed first based on the location on their signatures...)

Hawaii is the key. Again, the game in Hawaii was played on the way to Japan not on the return trip. In fact, after the games in Japan, Ruth went on an extended tour of Asia, and I don't think would have stopped over in Hawaii again.

http://www.baberuthcentral.com/babes...trip-to-japan/

I don't think it detracts from history at all. Most autograph collectors would kill for those signatures on a ball. I am a tad biased, since Hawaii is my home state! I feel that on the voyage to Hawaii the players signed quite a few balls that were to be presented as gifts of appreciation. The person who received this ball had members of the Hawaii squad add their signatures. What you have is a one of kind item with a great story.

From this thread http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=138604 - there appears to be an abundance of 1934 tour fakes out there. I think the Hawaii players signatures adds to the overall authenticity of the piece.