Negro League and Brooklyn Bushwicks Autograph Album

[jerseygary]

Page 13

Signature of Marie Greene

Marie Greene was a big band singer and Broadway actress. She was in the musical “Carousel” and appeared on the sound track of several 1940’s Hollywood films. Greene must have been a fan at a Bushwicks game when the owner of this album spotted her.

[jerseygary]

Page 14

Signatures of the 1944 New York Cubans

Rogelio Linares, 1b - Played in the Negro National League in 1940 then from 1943-1946.

Juan 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.

[brookdodger55]

Big Brooklyn collector truly amazing piece in my eyes
Good luck with it, one of a kind.
Mike

[jerseygary]

Thanks Mike, I'm really pleased that I found it. I'm not an autograph guy and I'm not quite sure what to do with it, so I will probably pass it on to someone who really collects these things. It was fun researching all the players in it.

[btcarfagno]

If you ever do want to part with it send me a PM.

Tom C

[jerseygary]

I would like to sell this album and would like opinions on whether I should split it up or keep it together. There are some rare obscure guys in here as well as the 1944 NY Cubans Negro League team. I look forward to hearing your opinions...

[jerseygary]

I listed this piece along with several rare scorecards on ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/153596090422