Identifying Japanese Bromides (Starffin, Kawakami et al)

[Frankish]

Originally Posted by Jeff Alcorn

You have encountered one of the banes of Japanese player research in Akashi- the dreaded name change. Akashi changed his first name to Koichi so that is why you could not find him. Often times it is the last name that is changed like Hawks HOF manager Kazuto Tsuruoka who was formally Kazuto Yamamoto.

Thanks, Jeff! I really appreciate it. And while I knew about the Tsuruoka change, I wasn't aware there were others. Now at least I know to stay open to that possibility.

The next page in the album (Page 9) is largely devoted to right-handed pitcher Juzo Sanada (who I’ve seen referred to elsewhere as Shigeo Sanada). As I work through this album, it is becoming apparent that the vast majority of the cards are 1947 bromide issues and some may be early in that year given that the photos chosen were from the 1946 season. That is the case here with Sanada, as well. The top center, top right, and middle left cards show him in his Pacific uniform from 1946. In the top left bromide, he is wearing the 1947 Robins uniform but the Pacific had from ’46. And in the bottom right, he is in full Robins attire.

If I am identifying them correctly, the bottom left and center cards appear to be first-baseman Isamu Fujii who had a very long playing career from 1936-1958 (several seasons missed for the war). After the war, he joined Pacific and stayed there as they became the Taiyo Robins.

The middle right card looks like Hiroshi Tsujii in his 1947 Robins uniform (with Pacific cap). And, rounding out the page, the center card seems to be of a pitcher named Watanabe. There was a Seitaro Watanabe who pitched for the Robins from 1948-1950, but Stats Crew shows him on the Osaka Tigers roster in 1946 and 1947, so this might be a different player (or a slightly later card…although it might be a little odd for him to be in the old-style cap in a later season).

[Frankish]

I meant to post this closeup of the card I'm least certain about. Does Watanabe seem correct? Or am I totally off base?

[Frankish]

I clearly have too much time on my hands this weekend. Here is Page 10 of the album. A bit of a puzzling page. There are more cards that I cannot clearly identify than cards I can.

Starting at the top left, the bromide shows Shigeyoshi Morishita in his 1946 Pacific season. This would be one of his rookie cards, and he was an outfielder and occasional pitcher for Pacific, then the Robins, and eventually the Kintetsu Pearls. In a bit of a mystery (to me) the left and center cards in the middle row also look like Morishita and the name of the left card reads “Mori” and the name on the center card os taped over. They both look like Flyers players and, even though Pacific would become the Flyers in 1947, I can’t find a record of Morishita (or anyone whose name stars with “Mori”) playing for the flyers in 1947…for that season, Morishita is listed as a Robins player.

The middle right bromide is the great Robins pitcher Juzo Sanada.

The top right picture is an unidentified Robin player. As is the only card on the bottom row. Does anyone recognize either of them?

[Frankish]

Page 11 from the album. I am now one-third of the way through the regular bromides (there is a smaller prize card section in the back) and after this post will take a brief break to go back through the cards I've been unable to identify and give them another shot.

On this page...Giichiro Shiraki was a decent pitcher with a relatively short career (seven seasons: one with Pacific, five with Tokyu, and a last with Hankyu). I wouldn’t go on so much about Shiraki except that, after his baseball career, he went on to a successful career in politics. The entire top row, the center and right cards of the middle row, and the right card in the bottom row all depict Shiraki and appear to be from 1947.

The middle left and bottom center cards both appear to be of Shigeaki Kuroo, another Flyers pitcher, and the bottom left Fujiwara, all from 1947 as far as I can tell.

[rman444]

Frank - nothing to add other than congratulations on such a great album. This thread with research is outstanding!

[Frankish]

Originally Posted by rman444

Frank - nothing to add other than congratulations on such a great album. This thread with research is outstanding!

Thanks. Exploring this album has been one of the most enjoyable projects I've undertaken in decades of collecting.

Okay, so through the first 11 pages, I'm down to 7 cards I just can't get a handle on. While I am getting decent with the player names of the era, identifying cards solely from the picture is still a bit outside my comfort zone....

[Jeff Alcorn]

Hi Frank,

Here are a few more notes for you: Pacific became the Robins not the Flyers. The Flyers former name was the Senators.

The pitcher in that group is Hirotaro Mori of the Hankyu Braves.

You are correct that the Robins P is Seitaro Watanabe on a 1948 card. There was no Watanabe on the Robins in 1947.

The bottom left P next to Shigeaki Kuroo should not be Fujiwara. The only Fujiwara in Japanese BB in 1947 or 1948 was Dragons C Tetsunosuke Fujiwara.

For the unknown players, I think the sliding player is HOF Makoto Kozuru of the Dragons. He was the only #32 in BB in 1947. He switched to #24 in 1948 when he went to the Flyers.

The Flyers player is HOF Hisanori Karita. The tape is covering the kanji for manager, and at the end of the line is second baseman. Karita was the Flyers Player-Manager in '47 & '48.

Hope this helps,

Jeff