Opening Day Auction Closing May 9th
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/10/2015
As a tribute to just how important Jackie Robinson's 1947 season was to African-Americans, the Alameda County Branch of the NAACP presented him with their Annual Merit Award. What began as his triumphant 1947 season with the Dodgers ultimately proved to have set in motion the Civil Rights Movement that would change America forever. This impressive 7" x 9" document is printed by letterpress on ivory parchment and lists Robinson's many achievements: first 4-letter man at UCLA, MLB's first Rookie of the Year, respected by team-mate and opponent alike - and "the first man in the history of your country to grip the handle of a baseball bat and knock prejudice clear out of a big league park!" The award has been signed in blue pen by C.L. Dellums and Fred Stripp. This originates from Jackie Robinson's personal estate as attested to in the accompanying signed letter from his widow Rachel Robinson.