Description:

Simmons Al


,br>Hall of Famer Al "Bucketfoot" Simmons Writes About Teaching Baseball to the Japanese in 1932

 

Single page autographed letter signed, 7" x 10.5". Dated "December 22, (1931)", and signed by Simmons as "A. Simmons". Fine condition with expected folds. Accompanied by the autographed and signed original mailing envelope, postmarked December 22, 1931, torn open along top edge. Signed on the verso within the body of teh return address.

 

An important letter with great baseball content. Simmons discusses a trip to Japan and teaching the Japanese to play baseball in 1931 which is beginning of the 'launch' of this American sport in Japan! Although the sport was originally introduced to Japan in 1872, professional baseball, called Puro Yakyu (????), existed in Japan since 1920. The first professional league was founded in 1936. The current highest level of competition, Nippon Professional Baseball was organized in late 1949. But it would take until September 1, 1964, when the US would hire the first Japanese man to play in the U.S. major leagues. Japanese pitcher Masanori Murakami pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the San Francisco Giants in a 4-1 loss to the New York Mets in front of 39,379 fans at Shea Stadium.

 

The letter offered here by Simmons makes an important early reference to this movement when he writes "… had a most marvelous time in Japan. And we tried to teach the Japanese baseball. I think we succeeded as they nearly beat us before we left. It is a great country. All of our boys enjoyed to the fullest extent and I'm sure all would return again if given a chance …"

 

The second Japanese player in the MLB was Hideo Nomo, who then started a trend with his immediate success. But MLB teams must often pay exorbitant fees to Japanese teams just for the right to negotiate with players. This keeps the stream of Japanese players at a relative trickle compared to Caribbean countries.

 

A fantastic letter from Hall of Famer Al Simmons, one of the greatest left fielders in baseball history, and one of the best clutch hitters of all time! Excellent baseball content with reference to the origin of Japanese baseball. Today baseball is the undisputed top sport in Japan, and is jokingly called Japan's national sport!

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