Collecting and Translating the 1973 Calbee Flag-Backs (101, 111, 113, 118, 120)

It’s been the better part of a year since I last did an entry on ‘73 Calbee. As you may know, I am collecting and translating all of the 1973 bat-backs (the first 91 cards). I am agonizingly sitting on one more card to complete that run, #79 from the scarce series 2. Although I have no intention of trying to complete the expanded 368-card flag-back ‘73 set (it’s pretty much impossible), I still pick them up here and there when I can. You can see the archive of all the ‘73s I have translated thus far here.

 

#101  Yamamoto (Ko) - Outfielder (Hiroshima)

Worth Every Yen,  Yamamoto

 

 With a clang off the bat he hits a frozen rope. He makes a catch and a split second later it’s in the catcher’s mitt. Cutting sharply right and left after balls in the verdant outfield, Yamamoto, with his sound fielding and strong arm, is a one-man highlight reel fans can’t get enough of. His defense alone would be worth the price of admission, but you can add hitting and base-running on top of it. That’s Koji, Hiroshima’s superstar with the team on his back.

 

This write-up makes me glad to be looking at this set again. There’s nothing like ‘73 Calbee. None of the brand's other sets have writing as charmingly verbose as this.

 

#111  Mimura - Shortstop (Hiroshima)

 

A Linchpin on Offense and Defense,  Mimura

It’s been 8 seasons since Mimura joined the Carp as a baby faced young man out of prestigious Hiroshima Commercial High, and he has grown up considerably. If he looks bigger than his 173 cm, 70 kilo frame might suggest, that would be a reflection of his self-awareness and confidence as a .300 hitter. Last season he was selected to the Best Nine—in other words, as the best shortstop in Japan. Mimura is a cornerstone of the Carp. Let him hear your cheers!

#113  Ueda - Pitcher (Hanshin)

Ueda: Hater of the Intentional Walk

 Ueda is generally mild-mannered, but once he puts on the uniform his demeanor changes as his competitive spirit is unleashed. That spirit is readily apparent in his pitching. No matter how strong the opposing hitter, he hates an intentional walk. For him, it’s do or die. This year has gone particularly well for Ueda, and he will undoubtedly raise his win total to over 20. A shooter inside and a slider outside are his weapons, but mastering his approach against left-handed hitters, who are susceptible to sidearm pitchers like him, may well be the reason for his success.

#118  Ikeda - Outfielder (Hanshin)

Ikeda in the Clutch

 A team will be stronger with a player who reliably hits .280 following the heart of the order. For Hanshin, that strength comes in the form of Ikeda batting sixth. Opposing pitchers know they can’t let their guard down for a second against his clutch hitting. His sweeping defense, strong arm, and gritty play make him popular with young fans. Ikeda joins Tabuchi and Fujita as core members of Hanshin.

Japanese borrows the English “cleanup” (or rather its approximation “kurinappu”) in baseball, although it has a slightly different meaning. In English of course, the term describes the 4th hitter in the order only. In Japanese it is understood to be the 3rd, 4th, and 5th hitters collectively. So essentially it’s the usual way of saying the “heart of the order.” This blurb uses the Wasei-Eigo, or Japanese-Made English expression “cleanup trio” to emphasize this point. I have no idea why the meaning of the term came to be modified in Japan. 

#120  Fujita - Shortstop (Hanshin)

Aiming to Hit .300

 Fujita’s father was a track and field athlete, which might explain why the man himself has been fast since he was a youngster. In high school, he set a 100-meter record at 11.3 seconds. A valuable player who doesn’t hit into many double plays, Fujita is in his 8th year as a pro, and has further refined both his defense and hitting. He is, along with Tabuchi, a core player for Hanshin and popular too. His success at the plate routinely puts him among the ranks of the top 10 hitters. This year it seems he may achieve his goal of hitting .300.