This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/31/2005.
This is a true piece of international baseball history. The Home Run King of the World, Sadaharu Oh is the true definition of the power hitter. Oh is the Japanese spelling of a common Chinese surname Wang, which means "The King", a fitting name for the all-time home run king. He led the Japanese Baseball League in home runs 15 times, 13 consecutively. He also led the league in RBIs 13 seasons. Twice in his career Sadaharu Oh won the batting triple crown. He led his team to 11 championships during his 22 seasons with the Yomiuri Giants. Oh was named Most Valuable Player nine times, and voted to the All Star team 18 times. While Barry Bonds chases the record of Hank Aaron's 755 career home runs, it is highly unlikely that Bonds, age 41, will ever reach Sadaharu's total of 868, which he had hit by the age of 40. Accompanying the bat is a letter from former Japan League player Danny Walton, who was originally given this bat from Sadaharu after the game in which he hit #790 against Walton's team, the Yokohama Whales. The letter also describes that the wood used to make this bat comes from Oh's own special forest and that these bats, "are like iron." The bat is signed on the left barrel in black marker, rating a solid 8. He also signed below it on the back barrel in Japanese rating a 9. Across the top of the back barrel is "#790", which he blasted sometime in late July or early August, 1978. Ball marks are visible on the front, left and back barrel along with bat rack streaks and scuffs. "Special Order" and "Mr. J" are stamped on the knob end. The handle is unfinished wood specific to Oh's liking. The bat is uncracked. Man: Jun Ishui, Order Period: 1978, L: 34 3/8 in, W: 34 oz, Wood: Ash, Finish: Flame Burned. The bat is accompanied by a LOA from PSA/DNA and the signature by a LOA from James Spence Authentication.