1998 Higashi Ozumo Cards - Details

["Pardoe, Richard (prdr)" <PRDR@chevron.com>]

As promised after yesterday's post - the details on the 1998 Ozumo cards
about to be published by Baseball Magazine-sha.

The title of the cards will be 1998 Higashi Ozumo Cards.  (I wonder if
there will be a second set called 98 Nishi Ozumo Cards - or is the
Higashi used to differentiate from the 97 Ozumo Cards) 

The cards go on sale in the middle of January 98.  There will be 218
cards in this collection:

Makuuchi Rikishi (1 rikishi = 2 cards)     80 Cards
Juryo Rikishi (1 rikishi = 1 card)         26 Cards
Yakuin (Executives)                        18 Cards
Shinpan Commitee Members                   20 Cards
'97 Last Half Makuuchi Yusho Winners        3 Cards
'97 Last Half Sansho Prize Winners          3 Cards
'97 Last Half Juryo Yusho Winners           3 Cards
Showa Yokozuna                             10 Cards
Top Kinboshi Winners                       11 Cards
Post-War Harumaku Yusho winners            15 Cards
Sumo Museum Collection                      2 Cards
Special Yokozuna / Ozeki Cards              5 Cards
20th Century Rivals                        18 Cards
Checklist                                   4 Cards
----------------------------------------------------
     Total Collection                     218 Cards


Given BBM-sha's history of having low frequency cards, I predict that
the 5 Special Yokozuna / Ozeki Cards and the 20th Century Rival Cards
may be the low frequency.  But the ad does mention that inserted
randomly into some of the packs will be makuuchi rikishi cards
personally signed by the rikishi.

The cost is Y200 per pack of 8 cards and Y6000 per box of 30 packs.

R.Pardoe
Gochisozan