1954 Cincinnati Redlegs- Nino Escalera

[herbc]

Nino Escalera played for the Cincinnati Redlegs in 1954. On 4/17/54 he became the first Black to play for them in a game against the Milwaukee Braves. Chuck Harmon followed him pinch-hitting in the same game.
I had been using a 1977, "One Year Winners (Fritsch)"card to symbolize a "Rookie" card for him. I found out that the Redlegs had team postcards printed in 1954.
I've been looking for this postcard forever. My newly acquired Nino Escalera "Rookie" Autographed Postcard.

I replaced this....



With this....!

[Marckus99]

He was not black.

He is Puerto Rican.

[sbfinley]

Nino was Puerto Rican of African descent. Not to appear insensitive to race, although he is Latin he is broadly considered the man who broke the color barrier in Cincy. I don't see an issue with referring to him as "black". By strictly African-American considerations it would be Harmon, but Nino was truly the first non-white or American Indian. To be more technical you could refer to him as "colored", but although use is acceptable in providing historical context, it isn't a word you want to use in everyday conversation. The manner in which the OP presented him is just fine IMO.

[sbfinley]

By the way great pickup as well.

[DBesse27]

That's a great find for any Reds collector. Congrats!

[begsu1013]

very nice herb!

what are the dims on it?

as we've discussed, doing the color barrier set in cards and signed versions...

ol lil ocd w/ the collection and only like regular sized cards, but will strongly think about adding the postcard considering it's the only other option of the '77 fristch "rookie"...

congrats on the score!