Baseball in Japan was originally imported from the United States via a number of goodwill tours of American ballplayers. Lefty O’Doul is often referred to as the Father of Japanese Baseball in large part because of the visits he coordinated as manager of the San Francisco Seals in 1949, ’50, and ’51. After the 1953 World Series, a team led by Eddie Lopat arrived in Japan amid great fanfare. Calling themselves Lopat’s Nomads, the team included Enos Slaughter, Yogi Berra, Eddie Mathews, Nellie Fox, Robin Roberts, Bob Lemon, Harvey Kuenn, Billy Martin, Jackie Jensen on its 15-man roster.

In the collection is the passport Slaughter used to travel with the team.

Enos Slaughter made his big league debut in 1938 and was an All Star by 1941. The following season he was again an All Star, leading the National League in hits, triples, and total bases while finishing second in MVP balloting. His Cardinals beat the Yankees in the World Series to give Slaughter the first of his four rings. After the Series ended, Slaughter joined the war effort, enlisting into the United States Air Force. Denied being a pilot because he was colorblind, Slaughter became a physical education instructor and eventually gained the rank of sergeant. In 1945, he toured the South Pacific with other big leaguers playing exhibition games in Tinian, Saipan, Guam, and Iwo Jima. He was discharged early the next year before the start of the 1946 baseball season.

Slaughter returned to the game in All Star form, leading the NL in runs batted and finishing third in MVP balloting. The Cardinals reached the World Series where they earned another ring for Slaughter.

Here are the first two inside pages of Slaughter’s passport. The first of two Slaughter signatures in the passport appears here. He also writes his home address in Belleville, Illinois.

Enos Slaughter’s crowning moment was his “Mad Dash” in the 1946 World Series against the Boston Red Sox. In the eighth inning of Game 7 with the score tied 3-3, Slaughter led off with a single. With two out he was still on first, no closer to scoring. Up came Harry Walker. With a hit-and-run on, Walker lined a pitch to left-center. Slaughter rounded second, ignored the stop sign by third base coach Mike Gonzalez, sliding home ahead of the throw.

A statue of Slaughter sliding across home plate on the play stands outside the ballpark in St. Louis. In 1999 The Sporting News ranked the play #10 on their list of baseball’s 25 greatest moments.

On page four of the passport the seal from the United State Department of State. The Cardinals outfielder signs his full name, “Enos Bradshaw Slaughter”. The page also denotes his occupation as “BASEBALL PLAYER”, while describing his hair as blond and his eyes as blue. The date of issue for the document is September 28, 1953. Slaughter was unmarried at the time though he would end up in divorce all five times he exchanged vows.

This page has a picture of the 37-year old Enos Slaughter who just completed 13th big league season, all with the Cardinals. It was also his 10th and final All Star season. Just five months after the trip to Japan, Slaughter was traded to the Yankees where he joined Japan travel mates Ed Lopat and Yogi Berra. Leaving the only team he had ever known initially left Slaughter heartbroken though he earning two more rings in New York would soften the blow.

Slaughter would play in the big leagues past his 43rd birthday, suiting up for the Kansas City Athletics and the Milwaukee Braves in addition to the Cardinals and Yankees.

This page features the Japanese entrance via dated October 16, 1953, just eight days after the Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers in the World Series. The visa is good for one year from the issue date. The page shows writing in Japanese. The ensuing pages (not shown) have additional markings as Slaughter and the team entered and left Haneda, Manilla, and Okinawa.

Keep in mind the goodwill trip took place just eight years after World War fighting in the Pacific ended.

At the time of the trip, travelers were required to get inoculated against yellow fever, a disease spread by mosquitoes. Here is Enos Slaughter’s certificate of inoculation. The document is issued by the Federal Security Agency, a US Public Health Service. Slaughter has filled out the front of the certificate, listing his address and date of birth while signing “Enos B. Slaughter” at the bottom. It’s the first of four signatures on the document.

Shown here are the two pages inside the Certificate of Inoculation and Vaccination. Slaughter has signed this three additional times. Known for his constant hustle, Slaughter served as a role model for Pete Rose‘s style of play. As a Reds rookie Rose recalled a childhood memory of Slaughter, “I used to watch the Reds games on television. One day, the Reds were playing the Cardinals. Slaughter drew a walk and ran hard to first base. I decided right then and there that was what I was going to do as long as I played ball.” It was Slaughter who put the hustle in Charlie Hustle.

By the time Enos Slaughter signed this contract in 1948 he was already a four-time All Star and two-time World Champion. His career was far from over. Slaughter would go on to appear in six more Mid Summer Classics and earn two more World Series rings. Here he agrees to have his signature appear on souvenir baseballs with stamped autographs. Slaughter is set to receive one cent per ball sold.

In this pair of index cards, Enos Slaughter writes his career highlights and offers his autograph. Slaughter writes, “Played 19 years, .300 lifetime average, 10 All Star Games, five World Series, 4 World Champions”. The card below that is dated 9-6-91 before Slaughter has added “Best wishes” and his signature. Slaughter also finished with 2,383 career hits.

Baseball’s ultimate honor is induction into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. After a 19-year big league career that included 10 All Star selections and an even .300 lifetime average, Enos Slaughter earned the distinction.

The Veterans Committee elected Slaughter along with Pirates shortstop and 9-time All Star Arky Vaughan. They joined two writers’ selections. Stolen base king Lou Brock who tallied 3,023 hits was a first-ballot selection while reliever extraordinaire Hoyt Wilhelm got in after 8 years on the ballot.

The quartet was inducted on hot Sunday afternoon on July 28, 1985. Shown here is an invitation to the festivities. The signature of knuckleballer Wilhelm appears at the bottom.