Big in Japan: Cards from Noboru Aota

Big in Japan indeed.

The proprietor of A Noboru Auto Fan's Notes had a proposal a few months ago. Seems a friend of his at work is a big Twins fan and really wanted a ticket from game 163 at the Metrodome. In exchange? The friend would send me a CC jersey card.

I had no ticket, but did have an extra program. Laziness on my part prevented me from sending the program on down. Things remained in the air until I scored a Keith Hernandez jersey to send down. That got everybody moving.

So, I netted the CC jersey AND these:

First, a 1964 Toshiaki Tokuhisa, ROY for the Kinetetsu Buffaloes. This is my second Japanese card as Noboru gave me an Aki Japanese card before I left NC. And let me tell you, this is awesome. It's halfway between the size of a regular baseball card and an A & G mini, on great card stock, and is absolutely badass. I really like the purple cloud background and the placement of the Kanji near the left border. The back:

I know: wha?!? If I remember correctly it's a game and Japanese cards started including stats, etc. in the 1980's or thereabouts. Different, got it's own thing going on no doubt.

And then: 

Crazy foil shiny cowboy also from the 1960's. No IDEA what's going on in this one.

Thanks again for hooking up the trade Noboru, and regards to your coworker. I'll have the CC jersey up soon!

Have a good one everybody and goodnight Pumpsie Green, wherever you are!

Bulls on Parade

We do it like this. Having moved from the Durham area about 7 months ago, compa and I missed out on seeing the Bulls win the International League Championship. And then the Bricktown Showdown for the AAA Championship. Which sucked for us, at least a little, seeing as last year we sat there and watched the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankis take to to the Bulls in the International League Championship. Nothing so much against the AAA Yankis as their fans who, despite being AAA Yankis fans, were definitely ready for the bigs in terms of being some of the most....well, I digress.

We missed out on all the post-championship euphoria. We watched the showdown on ESPN2, which was great, but we missed out on being there with our friends and the Bulls. There was even a Bulls event where you got to go into the dugout out onto the field and meet Chris Richard and Elliot Johnson. Well, my former neighbor over at Noboru Aota was kind enough to send me a post card. One signed by the aforementioned Chris Richard and Elliot Johnson. Awesome!

Man Adam, I can't thank you enough. For those of you who don't know that's the old park, the one in Bull Durham, located a few blocks from where the Bulls currently play.

Have a good night everyone and have a good one Pumpsie Green, wherever you are!