RIP Yasumitsu Toyoda

Hall Of Famer Yasumitsu Toyoda passed away yesterday at age 81.  Toyoda was signed by the Nishitetsu Lions out of high school (in Ibaraki) in 1953 and was the Pacific League Rookie Of The Year that season.  He spent 10 years with the Lions, making six Best 9 teams at shortstop and winning two batting crowns.  He moved to the then-Kokutetsu Swallows in 1963 and played for them for seven seasons (during which time the team name changed first to the Sankei Swallows and then the Sankei Atoms).  He made the All Star team 9 times - 7 times with the Lions and twice with Kokutetsu.  He was a player-coach with the Lions in 1962 and with the Atoms in 1968 and 1969.  He also coached with the Kintetsu Buffaloes in 1972.  Since he hung up the uniform he had been a TV and radio commentator as well as an author.  He was elected to the Hall Of Fame in 2006.

I have a couple cards of him from his playing days but most of the cards I have for him are OB cards that have been issued in the past 16 years.

1959 Marusho JCM 39

1964 Marukami JCM 14g

2000 BBM 20th Century Best 9 #434

2008 BBM Lions Memorial #34

2013 Epoch JPBA Rookie Of The Year #21