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Cuban & Negro League Baseball Pick-Ups
Hey guys,
I have recently started a Cuban Baseball & Negro League Baseball collection. This collection even though it is just underway means a lot to me because I'm a first generation Cuban-American and Cuban baseball was an important part of my grandfather's life. If anyone has anything related they would like to share please do. Here are my recent pick-ups: -1947 Cafe Regil Cienfuegos Team Card with Martin Dihigo http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/a...psl2dmayix.jpg http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/a...psw4knluba.jpg -1947 Almendares Team Premium Photo with Buck O'Neil & Adolfo Luque http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/a...pskppkyw96.jpg -1945/46 Caramelo Deportivos Minnie Minoso RC http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/a...pshybma0bo.jpg -1945/46 Caramelo Deportivos Album (Empty) http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/a...psoigqinff.jpg -1946 La Ambrosia Album (Empty) http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/a...pswl5eyvrb.jpg -1949/50 Alerta Antonio Alcalde Photo Premium Ray "Talua" Dandridge http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/a...psducodev6.jpg -1940s/50s Kansas City Monarchs Vintage Pin http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/a...psefh9uctj.jpg |
That's the START of your collection?
That's a hell of a start! Gorgeous stuff, outstanding diversity! -Al |
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Nick |
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Nick Welcome
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Glad to see another board member with a similar passion. Here are a couple of items which you may find interesting
Photos of Vincente Rodriguez and Jose Olivero Rare (or possible fake) romeo and julieta card 1943 album Photo of team possible related to Santa Clara Album page with Willie Mays "rookie" 1st book published in Cuba about baseball |
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Nick |
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That album page with the Willie Mays is awesome and so is the 1943 Album. |
Cuban cards
Jason - nice LaSorda!! :D
Nick - fantastic start!! |
This is a 1948-49 Toleteros card of 2 time Negro League All Star Francisco Coimbre. In the 1944 East - West game he hit third between Ray Dandridge and Buck Leonard.
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps8d61bc34.jpg |
http://i792.photobucket.com/albums/y...s67276905.jpeg
Havana Reds flag of some sort. Not completely sure what it is really. Perhaps a souvenir? Could even be homemade with a crest from a uniform placed onto a fancy background? Whatever it is I liked it so I bought it. Tom C |
Great stuff in this thread!
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Awesome stuff! Love the look of the albums specifically.
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Awesome stuff everyone has posted. Really glad people are sharing.
Nick |
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Sort of a focus of mine.
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^Wow Kenny. Definitely a focus of yours. That is one of the most impressive collections I have seen.
-Nick |
Nick,
Sort of the blind squirrel thing. I was a huge baseball fan forever, sort of wandered into the great books about the Negro Leagues, started figuring out that there were actually cards of some of them out there and made GREAT friends with others like Ryan Christoff and Matt Goebel, both of whom I cannot tell you how much I respect and admire. Jump in to this fun and be welcome!!! Best, Kenny |
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Thanks for sharing Kenny, -Nick |
Nick,
The cards, and the history they represent in general, are awesome. I love the Old Judges, the T206s, the '33 Goudeys and whatnot. I'm a big HOF collector. But IMO there is nothing like getting a new card of a guy who couldn't play here because of race issues and who you maybe didn't know much about until you got it and looked into what he did. That's pretty special. The history of baseball is always fun, and the history of the other leagues is really interesting IMO. If you enjoy your time here 1/4 as much as I have enjoyed mine you will be really rewarded. There are great people on this forum and lots of knowledge. Soak it up and be happy to be the sponge. :) Best, Kenny |
Books
I love baseball history too and would like to read about the Cuban and negro leagues. What books do you guys recommend?
Jeff |
Only the Ball was White is the starting point IMO. There are a bunch of books that follow, most of which are good. They are obviously written from viewpoints that the authors have a stake in, so sift the information. James Riley wrote the Negro Leagues Encyclopedia about 20 years ago, and it has a wealth of information. I blew off literally a week of paid for golf games, which I used to never do, to read it cover to cover. I could simply not put it down. That probably makes me a massive nerd but I suppose I will have to live with that.
Cuban baseball-wise, "Smoke" by Mark Rucker et al. is an awesome book. I feigned illness and stayed home for two days simply to finish it. Insofar as Cuban baseball goes, "The Pride of Havana" is also pretty damn good. I would start with those and they will take you where you need to go. Best, Kenny |
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One of the books I'd recommend is The Soul of Baseball. It is the story of Buck O'Neil told in a very interesting and different way. It is really a short read and I read it in under 30 minutes because it was just that good. Nick |
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I always enjoy these threads. (And seeing "the other" Kenny's wonderful cards, haha)! Here are my Negro League HOFers:
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Found this Jimmy Claxton related item; a July 4, 1941 Toppenish Community Celebration pinback. Claxton pitched for the Fife Tigers v. Yakima Indians during a triple-header between six teams in Toppenish. At 48, Claxton pitched Fife to a 4 to 1 victory, with 7 strikeouts. Always nice to find anything related to this ballplayer.
http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/...psa94ca418.jpg |
Affordable cards of players from the Negro Leagues
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Hello Everyone,
Lots of fantastic (and very expensive) cards on display in this thread. When I first started collecting players from the negro leagues I thought that I would never be able to afford the cards, but there are a lot of lesser known players that you can find for under $300. Here are some that I picked up. Best regards, Joe |
Ken,
Sweet cards!!! Very impressive. I love threads like this where folks bring out stuff that is, to say the least, uncommon. You have some awesome cards, a couple of which I wish I would have bid higher on. I'm glad that since I didn't get them, you did. Best, Kenny |
Thank you, Kenny and Derek. (Those booklets are cool). And nice cards, Joe. Really dig that Gutierrez Luque. Great stuff, everyone!!
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Some more Cubans
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Thanks Ken. Adolfo Luque is my favorite Cuban player. A lot of collectors don't know that he played in the major and Negro leagues. I have more of his cards than any other player in my collection.
Derek your 1924 Diaz of Lyons and Ruffing are really cool, and as you know extremely rare. They should be great investments for the future. I purchased several Diaz commons in the last couple of months, probably from the same vendor, and they look sharp framed in SGC holders. Some of them I believe are the only known examples. Here are some pictures. (Not a Cuban, but tossed in another Luque for fun.) Best regards, Joe |
Luque
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Since you are such a fan of the great Luque, I thought you'd like to see some photos of his personal, baseball-themed stand-up humidor, still stocked with some of his (ancient) cigars. |
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tough cuban movie poster form the 80's.
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that humidor is INSANE!
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Scorebook covering one of the games of the 1905 All-Cubans base ball tour through the U.S.:
Rob M. Attachment 164822 Attachment 164823 |
Luque humidor
Wow! I agree with Pete that humidor is insane. Great item.
Joe |
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Here's my only example. I picked this up at the Baltimore National a couple years ago. 1946-47 Caramelo Deportivo Don Newcombe.
Attachment 164830 Attachment 164831 |
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I can add a few...(scans are NOT to size)
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I'm so glad people are sharing awesome stuff. I really love these types of threads that let us share our collections. Thanks for posting!
Nick |
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A few more
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Nice cards
Great cards! My favorite is the Ray Dandridge Colleciones Victoria issue.
The Colleciones Victoria Cuban cards are among the most scarcest Cuban issue of all! Nice Collection all the cards. Thanks Rich |
Wow. Love of the Game Auctions has some nice Cuban and Negro League Items. Here is quick list I put together.
-1923/24 Nacionales Cigarros Cristobal Torriente -1923/24 Nacionales Cigarros Andy Cooper -1923/24 Nacionales Cigarros Red Ryan -1923/24 Nacionales Cigarros Juanelo Mirabal -1923/24 Billiken Ivy Griffin -1923/24 Billiken Ramon Herrera -1923/24 Billiken Armando Marsans -1945/46 Caramelo Deportivo Ray Brown -1946/47 Caramelo Deportivo Martin Dihigo -1946/47 Caramelo Deportivo Ray Dandridge -1946/47 Caramelo Deportivo Luis Tiant -1946/47 Propaganda Montiel Christy Mathewson -1948/49 Toleteros Johnny Davis -1948/49 Toleteros Alfonso Perry -1949/50 Toleteros Chester Brewer -1949/50 Toleteros George Scales -1950/51 Toleteros Josh Gibson -1950/51 Toleteros Dick Seay I definitely have my eye out for some of these closer to my price point. I will definitely try to get some bids down for the Marsans, Brown, Dihigo, Dandridge, and Tiant. |
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I went to Cuba for about a week this past July, but I didn't have a lot of time to search for baseball memorabilia like I hoped to do. Although I did pick up a neat book about the history of Cuban baseball from around 1880-ww2 era. I wish I had more time to look around all of their flea markets! There are some great pieces on this thread!
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I thought this would be a good place to post a shameless plug for my Negro League Baseball Collectibles Guide (Second Edition). I still have several copies available at $29.95 plus $5.95 for USPS Priority Mailing. The guide includes over 1,000 full-color images of Negro/Cuban Baseball cards, postcards, press photos, scorecards, broadsides, programs, etc. Price ranges are also included for every item along with HOF lists, future HOF lists and Top 100 Negro League cards of all-time. To date, it is the only resource of its kind on the market and IMHO a must-have for everyone from the collector starting a Negro/Cuban Baseball collection to the advanced collector who has seen almost everything. Many of the major auction houses and grading copies have picked up copies to use as resources for their own businesses.
Please PM me if you would like to order a copy or e-mail me at: vguerrerobb@yahoo.com. |
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Thanks to Derek. I have a nice 1949/50 Toleteros Album on the way. Though it isn't the most colorful album it still is a nice add to my collection. I will post pictures once it arrives.
-Nick |
Anybody know what the accepted price was on this Torriente card?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1923-1924-Na...p2047675.l2557 Weird that the seller seemed to have taken the phrase "the card has a tear in it so it would grade Authentic" out of the listing in its final current state.... |
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This one didn't sell in the latest REA Auction so back it goes into the Phil Garry collection. It pictures HOF'ers, Hilton Smith & Satchel Paige along with a host of other Negro League stars who participated in the 1946 postseason Satchel Paige All-Stars team that took on Bob Feller's MLB All-Stars among others..........
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Disturbing though that the seller changed his description several times, ultimately eliminating the tear that goes through the card.... |
I almost bid on that photo, Phil. What dissuaded me [FWIW] was the description of its condition: "The photo (10 x 8 inches) displays numerous creases and three tears that have been repaired by clear tape (one on the front, two on the reverse), a slight trim along the left border, and paper residue on the reverse from its having once been mounted in an album. The photo has also been laminated." Sounded just terrible, like the list of side effects for a new drug.
Meanwhile, the items displayed in this thread are awesome. I particularly enjoyed Kenny's group of snapshots. Please post more stuff, guys! |
My first Cuban Card..
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Not a Cuban player .. Got him because he is the only HOFer from near where I grew up .
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Jeff:
Don't think Vernon is in the HOF? |
Wow you are right I guess I always assumed he was with 2500 hits .
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Mickey Vernon was one of my favorite Senators when I was a kid and watched him play at old Griffith Stadium. While Vernon was outstanding defensively and had a solid .286 career BA, his BA was very inconsistent from year to year - he had two great years, winning the AL batting titles with .353 and .337 BAs, but he also had years when his BA was .242 and .251. Missing 2 years of play during WWII, didn't help his cause either.
Val |
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I see that I am not the only Board member who bought 1924 Diaz cards with holes in them from the nice lady in Florida! I'm looking for more Senators cards, and I am willing to trade this sweet Eppa Rixey card.
Val |
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If your referring to the ones I have on post before yours, I actually got these off ebay about 7 years ago. The holes look like some kind of punch to me, possibly for redemption. On the other hand, maybe the seller I got them from, got them from the same "nice lady" in Florida years ago. |
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Shown before. Dont know how common this PC is.
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Something a little different -- Biz Mackey game used bat. Sorry photo is not sharp.
Greg |
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Team advertising poster --
Greg |
Greg:
A Biz Mackey game-used bat is awesome! Has it been authenticated? Not questioning you but don't know anything about game-used bats but have to believe that a Negro League HOF'er would be worth a lot of money, if authentic. |
Hi Phil -- Yes it is authenticated and factory side written. Probably my favorite game bat.
Greg |
That's awesome, Greg! Congrats on a wonderful pick-up.
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Uhm....nobody has commented yet on the Nacionales Torriente that just sold on Ebay, so I will ask another question: is this raw Torriente new to the hobby?
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Couple of pick-ups that just came in:
1948-49 Toleteros Album http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/a...psz79kctg9.jpg 1950 Almendares Team Premium with Dick Williams http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps9ekp0ya5.jpg |
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Don't want this to fall off the front page so here are a few more. I no longer own the White or Gibson, but they are both great photos.
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Love the Santop photo, Kenny. I remember when that one came up in Hake's, think I was the under bidder on it.
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I would kill for that Bellaire photo w/ Sol White! Awesome piece! I don't get tired of looking at that one! |
Three more
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Here's an eclectic trio:
1. 1926-27 Aguilitas album page, where fortunately, the silverfish decided that Rodriguez was tastier than Oms. 2. 1910s RPPC of a team from Eastern WA...most likely Spokane. 3. Jackie Robinson's UCLA backfield-mate Kenny Washington's 1950 Hages Dairy card. |
Great Kenny Washington 1950 Hages Dairy card.
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Clearly Kenny is just here to embarrass the rest of us. Amazing stuff. I'm out of town right now but will try to post a few things when I get back. Cool thread.
-Ryan |
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps30f136b6.jpg
Signatures of the 1944 New York Cubans This was a great little autograph book I picked up because it had a bunch of Brooklyn Bushwicks players in it. I was always fascinated by the vibrant and competitive semi-pro leagues that operated in the Metropolitan area before World War II and pick up whatever pieces of memorabilia I can. Since I am a baseball illustrator, I specifically grabbed this up because it included a newspaper photo of one of their players, showing the cap, which I will use for a drawing down the road. Bushwick players’ pictures are hard to find. When it arrived, it had much more in it than I expected. The album belonged to a Brooklyn girl named Marilyn who carried it to games at Dexter Park in the summer of 1944. Marilyn must have been a big baseball fan since her book notes the players positions and uniform numbers. Most of the players that are represented on its pages are life-long New York City semi-pros, some of whom had a short stint in the big leagues, but it was the team page of the N.Y. Cubans that was the real find... Rogelio Linares, 1b - Played in the Negro National League in 1940 then from 1943-1946. Jose Vargas, cf Vargas’ career started with the Cuban Stars in 1927 and lasted until 1944, the year he signed this page. He was a speedy outfielder who hit for power and was voted on to the 1942 and 1943 East-West All-Star team. He passed away in 1971. Gil Garrido, ut The Panamanian spent 2 seasons in Negro League ball, 1944 and 1945. His son, Gil Garrido, Jr played 6 years in the majors with the San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves. Louis Louden, c 4-time Negro League All-Star catcher. Louden later played in the minors for the El Paso Texans. Hector Rodriguez, 3b After playing for the N.Y. Cuban in 1944, Rodriguez went to Mexico where Brooklyn signed him. He spent 1951 with the Montreal Royals, batting .302. The White Sox bought him from the Dodgers and he spent 1952 with Chicago and batted .265. He then finished up his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs where he became a crowd favorite. His skill at 3rd base was such that the White Sox used a film made of his fielding to train new players. Rodolfo Fernandez, p This member of the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame was a star pitcher in his native Cuban League from 1931-44. He became a household name on the island in 1937 when he shut out the New York Giants, including Mel Ott and Carl Hubbell, 4-0. Along with Josh Gibson and Satchel Paige, Fernadez was a member of the 1937 Cuidad Trujillo team that represented the dictator Trujillo in the Dominican Republic. Dave Barnhill, p 4-time All-Star who spent his whole Negro League career with the Cubans. In 1940-41 he led the Puerto Rican League in strike outs. From 1942 to 1947 Barnhill was among the top ten best pitchers in the Negro National League and he led the Cubans to their only World Series Championship in 1947. He later played in the minor leagues before retiring in the mid-1950’s. He passed away in 1983. Ameal Brooks, c & lf Starting out in 1928, Brooks managed to play on some of the best blackball teams assembled - Chicago American Giants, Homestead Grays, Philly Stars. He was winding up his career with the Cubans when he signed this page in 1944. He passed away in 1971. Bill Anderson, p Anderson pitched in the Negro Leagues from 1940-1946 and later played in the low minors before retiring. Showboat Thomas, 1b Came up with the Birmingham Black Barons in 1929 with Satchel paige. Thomas was a member of the famed Negro All-Star team that won the 1937 Denver Post Tournament. In 1945 Thomas and Terris McDuffie were given a tryout with the Brooklyn Dodgers, but it was only a publicity stunt and nothing came of it. Claro Duany, lf This Cuban Baseball Hall of Famer began in his native Cuba in 1942. Playing baseball with the N.Y. Cubans in the summer and the Havana Reds in the winter, Duany won the Cuban League batting title in 1944-45. A big salary lured him to Mexico in 1945 and he won the batting title there two consecutive years in a row, 1945-46. He then returned to Cuba and promptly won that league’s batting title. He finished his career in the Washington Senators organization, playing with his teammate on the Cubans, Dave Barnhill. Here's a link to the rest of the signatures in the album |
Very cool Gary - thanks for sharing!
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Great stuff, Phil!!
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Almost picked this up: http://www.ebay.com/itm/161465116745...torefresh=true
Lost it at the last second in class. Really wanted it. -Nick |
Colleciones Victoria complete album
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all cards pasted inside 168 cards
the most scarce of all Cuban cards the cards are super rare and a complete set and album extremely scarce safety tucked away in bank deposit box tried to build set for over 20 years until I was lucky enough to find complete album. Working on a second set currently up to 100 loose cards. Fell in love with this set from the moment I first saw one of these cards. thanks rich |
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I have fallen in love with the Cuban albums. Almost picked up the Montiel Album today, which has had me bummed out for most of the day. They are awesome pieces. Probably going to make a nice album display once I get a good amount of them. |
Nick,
PM sent. |
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I will post pictures of the album once I get it. -Nick |
Thought I'd revive this thread, one of my favorite threads. Awesome stuff already shared.
Thank to Dave, here is the Montiel Los Reyes De Deporte Album: http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/a...psf2r7qwnz.jpg I will also be sharing something within the next fews days I'm overly excited to get in. -Nick |
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