Collection Center piece

[todeen]

Originally Posted by Topnotchsy

Baseball's Integration

My primary collection is around baseball's integration. While Jackie breaking the color barrier was a singular moment, there was obviously a lot that led up t that, and him playing did not mean the end of discrimination etc. My collection tries to capture the narrative and nuances of that story, beginning with a Signed High School Yearbook that shows Jackie playing on an integrated squad in John Muir Highschool back in 1936 and running through his baseball career.

The centerpiece of my collection revolves around another player who signed in the same offseason as Jackie. Like Jackie, Campanella signed with the Dodger's in the offseason between the 1945 and 1946 season (Campanella was the 4th black player to sign, after Jackie, John Wright and Don Newcombe).

As an illustration of the complexity of the process, Campanella originally signed to play in Danville, but ultimately it was decided that the team (or league... there are different versions of the story) wasn't ready to integrate, so he re-signed with the Dodgers a few weeks later to play in Nashua. I've been lucky enough to acquire both his Danville and Nashua contracts.

I love contextual history! Very cool!

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