Collecting and Translating the 1973 Calbee Flag-Backs (133, 136, 137, 138, 140)

Sadaharu Oh makes a return this time around, kicking off Series 4 with 10 cards of his own. Series 4 features all Giants players and was printed in comparatively higher quantities, presumably given the popularity of the team and its players.

Remember you can see the archive of all 73 Calbees I have translated here, and introductions to the set here and here. 

This entry marks two years (give or take a few days), since I started this blog. I want to thank everyone out there who reads it!

 

#133  Yamamoto - Outfielder (Hiroshima)

Player Directory

#136  Kinugasa - First Baseman (Hiroshima)

Aiming to Hit Over 20 Home Runs 

Kinugasa can’t hit as many home runs as Oh of the Giants, but in terms of the distance and velocity of the balls he hits, he belongs in the same sentence. When a ball is in his wheelhouse he’ll let it fly into the right field stands. He’s working hard to hit more than 20 this season, too. His average in the .230s leaves something to be desired, but even if he can’t attain .295 like last season, he’ll be going all-out down the stretch to reach at least the .270s.

 

#137  Oh - First Baseman (Giants)

Oh The Superstar

  Oh is called “Wan-chan” in reference to his uniform number. Of course, it’s also fitting for him as the undisputed number one home run hitter in Japanese baseball. It could be Oh’s Chinese heritage that gives him his upbeat demeanor.  Our one-legged superman doesn’t sweat the small stuff. Could another superstar like him appear in say, one hundred years? No one knows!  Ah! There goes another one! Another homer out of the park!  

I discussed the Wan-chan nickname in more detail here. The Japanese text here more literally says Oh “has blood from the continent flowing (through his veins).” In this context, “the continent” refers to continental Asia, particularly China, where Oh’s father was originally from. In relation to Japan, it’s similar to the phrase as it describes continental Europe in relation to the British Isles.

#138  Oh - First Baseman (Giants)

Working Up a Sweat: Oh

 Oh’s bat has been on fire since the All-Star Games. He was in a tight home run race with with Tabuchi, but it now looks like he has pulled into an insurmountable lead. You could say it all comes down talent, but Oh has worked tirelessly every day and in the end that’s what counts. No guts no glory!

All-Star Games is not a typo. Two All-Star Games are played in Japanese baseball. In Oh’s day, it was three.

#140  Oh - First Baseman (Giants)

12 Years Running With 30 or More Homers

 On August 10th against Chunichi, Oh sent an offering from pitcher Shibuya to right-center field for his 30th home run, a three run blast that sealed a come-from-behind win in the 18 inning contest. In each of the 12 years since he hit 38 in 1962 through this season, Oh has hit at least 30 homers. “Wow!” is about all you can say. Will he keep the streak going? Look forward to it.

Oh kept the streak going, hitting at least 30 every subsequent year until his retirement after the 1980 season. He just made the cut that final year, hitting exactly 30.