It was an unparalleled spectacle, and the event that helped inspire Japan to embrace the American national pastime as that country's own. The occasion was the visit by Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, and other stars from the U.S., to Japan for the purpose of demonstrating their skills in front of a new, eager audience of fans. The 1934 exhibition tour in the "Land of the Rising Sun" would feature a collection of the best baseball talent the world has ever seen with the heralded American major leaguers playing a series of games against Japanese college all-stars. Not surprisingly the Americans won all seventeen games they played.
Making the only overseas trip of his career in 1934 Babe Ruth proved that his charisma knew no cultural boundaries creating a frenzy everywhere he went in Japan equal or greater to that he inspired in the states. One of the most interesting footnotes to the historic tour involved catcher Moe Berg. Berg a Rhodes Scholar and linguistics specialist doubled as an OSS agent for the United States. As the possibility of war escalated in Europe and Asia Berg collected important photographs and documents from Japan throughout his travels with the team. Matsutara Shoriki an influential owner of a popular Japanese newspaper was largely responsible for bringing the tour to Japan. Shoriki who later became known as “the great genius-father figure of Japanese baseball,” moved by the interest of Japanese fans, established Japan’s first professional team in December 1934.
Presented here for the first time publicly is one of the most significant artifacts to surface from that historic 1934 sojourn that took place between late October and early December. This is the actual full flannel uniform that then-Philadelphia Athletics star Jimmie Foxx wore throughout the series of games overseas. As the back-to-back American League MVP winner in 1932 and ’33, Foxx continued his sensational hitting throughout the 17 games played in Japan to help the Americans go undefeated. When one stops to think about the incredible lineup of prolific hitters the Americans boasted in this exhibition, it’s easy to see why they were able to outscore their opponents by the final tally of 203-37.
After 81 years, Foxx’s No. 5 uniform is an absolute miracle of endurance. With the exception of some slight toning, about a half dozen small moth holes and a missing portion of the jersey’s fabric in the rear right tail, the uniform is effectively unchanged since its Depression-era service. Its patriotic red, white and blue piping that adorns the sleeves and button path exhibits very little fraying. The chenille "All Americans" circular patch remains firmly affixed to the left front chest, just above where Foxx’s beating heart would have been pounding, with smaller patches balancing the All American design at each sleeve. The red-and-blue felt number "5," which stretches seven inches tall, commands the back of the jersey. Artfully chain stitched on the inside rear collar is a scripted "J E Foxx" with the proper period "Spalding" manufacturer’s label to its immediate left. All seven of the original buttons remain intact.
The matching pants continue the theme, with two of the original three buttons still intact. The rear interior waistband mirrors the interior collar of the jersey, with another chain-stitched "J E Foxx" just to the right of the “Spalding" manufacturer's label. The entire uniform received a final grade of “A8” from MEARS with respect to its characteristics and game use.
Includes a MEARS LOA (Grade A8).