Collecting and Translating the 1973 Calbee Bat-Backs (Part 1)

1973 Calbee #5 (bat-back) and #6 (flag-back)

    This post marks the first chronicling my quest to collect and translate all the 1973 Calbee “bat-back” cards. ‘73 was the first year the snack food company issued its still-ongoing baseball cards, with these bat-backs representing the very first off the line. The 91 odd cards by number (more exist by way of variations), preluded an expanded “flag-back” set of 368 cards. This complete ‘73-'74 Calbee set (in which all the original bat-backs were reprinted as flag-backs) is functionally impossible to complete because of its dozens of mythical super-short printed cards which can go for hundreds of dollars even in poor condition—when they actually surface. The original bat-backs, therefore, offer a more realistic (but still very tough) alternative.

     It appears still unconfirmed whether the bat-backs served as an actual test issue or if a decision was simply made to change the backs to the flag design and reprint and incorporate the already released bat-backs into an expanded set. What is known is that the printing and release of the bat-backs was done in two series, or “blocks” to use the Japanese terminology. Block 1 consists of cards #1-72; Block 2, cards #73-91. Of the 72 Block 1 cards, (the first) 50 are Yomiuri Giants players. The rest of Block 1 and all of Block 2—cards #51-91—are of players from other teams.

     I recently got the 2003 book Calbee Pro Baseball Cards 1973 by Yoshinori Mori (after authoring a book so comprehensive and informative I suppose Mori-san can be forgiven for not coming up with a snappy title). The book confirmed my suspicion about the bat-back cards—that some are far more common than others. According to Mori, Block 1, in addition to being issued nationwide, had 53 of its cards reprinted with the release of Block 2. Based on my own eye test, I assume these cards to be all of the Giants cards (#1-50) as well as #51, 52, and 53. On the other hand, not only were bat-backs from Block 2 not reprinted at all, they were basically only released in Western Japan (crucially, not Tokyo) rather than nationally. Beyond that, there exist numerous image variations that are even rarer still. Based on this, here's a breakdown of rarity among bat-backs (these classifications are my own, not Mori’s):

● Common: Block 1 cards #1-53 (nearly all Giants)

● Uncommon: Block 1 cards #54-72 (non-Giants players)

● Rare: Block 2 cards #73-91 (non-Giants players)

● Super Rare: Image Variations

     As of writing this article my checklist aligns pretty neatly with this breakdown. I currently have 85% of the commons, 37% of the uncommons, 11% of the rares, and 0% of the super rares (which I will not be counting toward “completing” the set).

     Starting in numerical order with the lowest numbered cards I currently have, these five all feature either Shigeo Nagashima or Sadaharu Oh. The two Giants immortals unsurprisingly get first billing in the set, with Nagashima taking #1-6 and Oh, #7-12. Although commons, these first twelve come at a comparative premium given the stature of the players, with the iconic #1 generally fetching hundreds.

#4  Nagashima - Third Baseman (Giants) 

 

 

     This is a great looking card that charts Nagashima’s career home run pace with a fastidiousness particular to Japanese baseball. 

 Nagashima's Home Run Pace

#5  Nagashima - Third Baseman (Giants) 

 Nagashima's Ability As A Hitter

In college (Rikkyo University), Nagashima rewrote the record books as a home run hitter. Since joining the Giants he's been smashing them as a pro. It's been said that a player as great as him comes once in a decade. To understand the difference between Nagashima and other players, consider how Nagashima, even if his form is off, will still excel with an almost animalistic instinct for getting the bat on the ball.

 

#8  Oh - First Baseman (Giants)

    Oh's second Calbee card overall isn't very eye catching, but the candid shot is still nice. A good mix of posed and action photography characterizes the '73 Calbee set. Here Oh is given the same treatment as Nagashima (#4) with a chart of his home run milestones. 

Oh's Home Run Record

 #9  Oh - First Baseman (Giants)

    This card suffers from poor photography, although there is something poetic about Oh's famous flamingo stance being instantly recognizable despite the murky image. I imagine that he, much like Ichiro, must have looked distinct in the batter's box even from the nosebleed. This card has a super rare image variation featuring a similar image of Oh zoomed in and with better lighting. 

Oh's Major Records

 

 #10  Oh - First Baseman (Giants)

Oh's Career Progression

1959  Debuts batting 7th

Same Year  Hits first home run off Kokutetsu's Murata

1960  Bats 3rd the first game against Taiyo. The 'Oh-Nagashima Combo' is born

1961  In the sixth game against Taiyo, the ON Combo hits their first back-to-back home run

1962  Debuts one-legged stance in the fifteenth game against Taiyo

1963  April 21st, first time hitting a home run in four consecutive games

1964  In the seventh game against Hanshin, hits a home run in four consecutive at-bats

1970  Hits a home run in five consecutive games

1972  Becomes second in history after Nomura to hit 500 home runs and achieves a home run in seven consecutive games.