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1953 Jackie Robinson "Major League All-Stars" Barnstorming Tour

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Topnotchsy

Featured Contributor, The best players in history?
Aug 7, 2008
9,446
168
I posted about winning this ball in the pickups thread, but doing some research I was able to learn a lot more, and thought people might find it interesting.

For decades, baseball players would supplement their income by doing barnstorming tours. Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig did tours and they ran for decades. ***** League teams and players often did tours. It was a chance for them to play against white teams (and at times with white players, even before integration), a chance to bring baseball to cities that did not have their own team, and a chance to make some extra money.

When Jackie Robinson played in the Majors, he used to lead a tour in the off-season. Initially the teams that Jackie lead were comprised of only ***** League players, but in 1953, he added some white players including teammate Gil Hodges. Others on the team included Maury Wills (who was in the Minors and would not make the Majors for half a decade.)

Maybe the most fascinating signature on the ball comes from Spec Bebop. Bebop was a midget performer who toured with the Indianapolis Clowns. While baseball as we know it today is serious business, in the ***** Leagues, baseball was viewed more as another form of entertainment, and they often had jugglers and other performers. Bebop was a very popular performer with his co-performer "King Tut." He was listed on the roster playing the position ENT (entertainer).

As mentioned, the tour was the first for Jackie that featured white players on the team. Interestingly, the tour had some controversy when they were in Birmingham, Alabama. The team played a game with all the white players on the bench due to a ban on blacks and whites playing together.

Also really cool, the ball is an official ***** American League

Signatures:

Percy Smith - Pitcher Indianapolis Clowns
Jackie Robinson - Brooklyn Dodgers 1947-1956
Gil Hodges - Dodgers 1943-1961
John Glenn - Dodgers Minor Leaguer 1950-1960
Luke Easter - Was a part of Jackie's Barnstorming Tour. Homestead Grays 1947-48, Cleveland Indians 1949-1954.
Bob Young
Maury Wills - Dodgers 1951-1959 (minors) 1959-1966 (majors)
Clyde McNeal - ***** and Mexican Leagues 1945-57. Dodgers Minor League 1953-57
Ralph Branca
"BeBop" - Spec Bebop - Midget performer
 

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Last edited:

fordman

Well-known member
Feb 22, 2013
3,190
32
Ohio
Great Baseball to own. Great signatures and great background to go with the ball. I dont envy collectors much for their items but this one is to be envied.
Enjoy it and it looks like a cornerstone piece to any collection.

Fordman
 

Topnotchsy

Featured Contributor, The best players in history?
Aug 7, 2008
9,446
168
Great Baseball to own. Great signatures and great background to go with the ball. I dont envy collectors much for their items but this one is to be envied.
Enjoy it and it looks like a cornerstone piece to any collection.

Fordman

I appreciate that. Jackie and the integration in general have become a focus of my collection and this definitely fits that and captures a part of baseball history that's basically gone.


Sent from my iPhone using Freedom Card Board
 

mouschi

Featured Contributor, Bridging the Gap, Senior Mem
May 18, 2012
3,105
170
That's awesome! The ball itself is incredible, but the story takes it even further.
 

Topnotchsy

Featured Contributor, The best players in history?
Aug 7, 2008
9,446
168
That's awesome! The ball itself is incredible, but the story takes it even further.

Thanks! I've found that these kinds of items provide a mystery to try and crack. I have a few other (particularly WWII baseballs) where I have been unable to figure out where they were signed, so it was really cool to put the pieces together on this one which allowed me to ID everyone on the ball and connect it to a really cool part of baseball history.
 

Austin

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
5,706
41
Dallas, Texas
That's got to be one of the earliest Maury Wills signatures in existence since it's six years before he made the majors. Awesome ball!
 

Topnotchsy

Featured Contributor, The best players in history?
Aug 7, 2008
9,446
168
That's got to be one of the earliest Maury Wills signatures in existence since it's six years before he made the majors. Awesome ball!

I had not realized how long he was in then Minors for until I researched him for this ball, but you are probably right! Really cool point!

Awesome piece and story.

Thanks!
 

Topnotchsy

Featured Contributor, The best players in history?
Aug 7, 2008
9,446
168
Just realized while looking at some more articles that the player listed as "Ralph Brown" has to be Ralph Branca who was on the team. Signature seems to match up pretty well to a vintage Branca autograph I found online (and. posted for comparison)

Still a couple of mysteries with this ball, but with continued research I hope to be able to solve them...

If anyone knows anything about dating a baseball itself or knows about the history of Rawlings baseballs, please pm me. I have a couple of questions. Thanks!
 

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Topnotchsy

Featured Contributor, The best players in history?
Aug 7, 2008
9,446
168
Recently was able to pick up a program from the tour which pairs nicely with the baseball.
 

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