Homerun Prizes

Each year, when children mailed back their winning "Homerun" cards, they had a choice of prizes presented to them:


1973
In 1973, you could choose as a prize a card album or a bromide. There are two types of card albums from 1973 (A type and B type)

and there are a few subtypes of B type: plain inside (B-1) with central, pa, and double. There is one with the league results entered (B-2), and one with the Pacific League game difference deleted from B-2 (B-3).

Or, there were 10 types of bromides you could choose from.

1974

In 1974, you had the choice of an album, or a pocket baseball book. The first type of album was the "Mr. G Special Album" (A Type). This has a cover photo of Shigeo Nagashima giving his final greeting to his fans. The reverse side shows him waving to the cheering fans while circling the ground. The inside picture shows his at-bat and defense in his last game as an active player. All dates are October 14, 1974.

The next album was the "1974 Professional Baseball Card Album" with the title in red (Type B). The front of this photo shows a confrontation between pitcher Matsumoto (Chunichi) and batter King (Giants). On the back is Hajime Takahashi's (Giants) pitching form. On the inside page, the 1974 schedule for both the Central and Pacific Leagues is plainly written.

A third type is the one with "Baseball Card Album" written in red (Type C). This front shows Sadaharu Oh (giant). On the back is Koichi Tabuchi (Hanshin). The inside page, like Type A, is a photo of Shigeo Nagashima's final match.

The other main option was a pocket baseball book. The photo on the cover was taken at Koshien Stadium. It's larger than a card, but still pocket-sized. This one seems to have been created after the season ended, and sums up 1974. Since the title says "Compilation", it seems that there are several types.

1975

The prizes for 1975 were again a choice between a baseball card album, or a pocket baseball book. The first "Baseball Card Album" (Type A) had a title written in red at the bottom left, and the photos on the cover are Koichi Tabuchi (Hanshin) and Koji Yamamoto (Hiroshima). On the back are Senichi Hoshino (Chunichi) and Sadaharu Oh (Giants). On the folded inside page, the back of the cover shows all the members of the Central League All-Star Game. On the inside of the back cover are all members of the Pacific League All-Star Game.

A second album also had "Baseball Card Album" written in red in the upper left corner (Type B). The front of this photo features a photo of MVP-winning Koji Yamamoto (Hiroshima) hitting the ball with Hiroshima Stadium in the background. On the back side, there are batting photos of three players: Central League home run leader Tabuchi (Hanshin), RBI leader Oh (Giants), and Pacific League MVP Shuji Kato (Hankyu). On the inside of the folded page, the back of the cover is the Central League's 1975 Best Nine members. On the inside of the back cover is the Pacific League's 1975 Best Nine members. Here, Sumio Hirota and Michiyo Arito, two Lotte Orions players who are not included in the cards, are also thoroughly introduced.

The other main option was a Pocket baseball book - maybe this was the one that had "50 Years Professional Baseball Pocket Book" in red at the top. There seems to be a few different types, depending on the time in the season they were sent out.

1976

The prizes include (at least) three different card albumbs or another baseball rule book. All prizes feature Sadaharu Oh. One of the card holders has a closeup picture of Oh over a very wide shot of Korakuen Stadium. Other players are on the back and inside covers.

The second version of the album has several photos of Oh with "Baseball Album" (or 'Allum') in script and katakana on the front, a celebratory photo on the back, and lots of text on the inside covers.

The third version has Oh's flamingo step on the front, a wide shot of Korakuen Stadium from behind home plate on the back, and team logos on the inside covers.

This year's baseball rule book also has a photo of Sadaharu Oh on the cover, with red text at the top that says "'76 Pro Baseball" in Japanese.

1977

There were a few options for prizes in 1977. The first homerun cards offered only an album or a calendar. Later ones in 1977 added the options of a rule book or a professional baseball notebook. Here are some of the options:
1) A green card holder picturing Shigeo Nagashima, with a schedule for the first half of the season on the inside covers

2) A red card holder with Sadaharu Oh, mentioning his 756th home run

3) A standing desk calendar with two months per page, each page including one player photo.

4) 1977 Professional Baseball Notebook

5) 1977 Baseball Rulebook

1978

Prizes got a bit more exciting in 1978. Besides offering a card album or a baseball fan book, you could get a signed bat, or even a signed ball (when you submit 2 homerun cards and 300 yen worth of stamps). They even show how if you got 3 bats and a ball, you can combine them all into a nice display! So options were:
1) a card album with a green border and a picture of Sadaharu Oh batting on the front (#22 is catching).

2) a card album with a blue border and a picture of Sadaharu Oh batting on the front (the image is identical to the green album).

3) another blue-bordered card album with Oh batting on the front (a catcher with red gear and the pitcher are visible

All card albums have "Baseball Card Album" in Japanese text at the bottom of the photo - either in red or white text.
4) Signed baseball

1979

Similar to 1978, in 1979 you could get a signed mascot bat, a baseball card album, or a signed ball (again if you sent in 2 homerun cards and 300 yen worth of stamps).
1) Singed mascot bat

Sadaoka, Takada, Nakahata, Harimoto, Kawano, Egawa, Oh (Giants), Kakefu (Hanshin), Hiroshi Yamamoto, Kinugasa (Hiroshima), Akira Saito (Taiyo), Tao (Chunichi), Tabuchi ( Seibu)

2) Deluxe card album The album apparently comes in four different colors, though the pictures seem to be the same. The 1979 album has Sadaharu Oh batting, with a catcher wearing red gear, while another Giants player seems to be standing right next to him. The rest of the album covers (inside and out) have two photos each with rounded corners. The inside images are of Shigeru Kobayashi of the Tigers pitching. This album has a banner above the catcher that says "Baseball Card Album" in Japanese.

3) Two cards and 300 yen will get you an autographed ball (with probably a facsimile signature). You could display it with 3 small bats and a hoop.

Sadaharu Oh (Giants) and Koji Yamamoto (Hiroshima)

1980

In 1980, your choice was just a baseball card album.
1) The first type is yellow with no date identification. The front has a red banner with white text that reads "Baseball Card Album" in katakana with a photo of a Giants player (Oh) batting; another Giants player and the opposing catcher are visible in the photo.

2) The second type is much easier to identify, with "Baseball Card Album '80" printed in English on the front, and "'80" in big print on the spine.

**NOTE** THE ABOVE INFORMATION AND IMAGES ARE BORROWED FROM THE CALBEE COLLECTOR'S SITE:
http://tamylife.web.fc2.com/newpage8-1.html