Preintegration pickup

Hey all,

Over the last year or two my collecting interests have shifted and I've found myself focusing on different times/situations in baseball history that IMO carry special importance, particularly when they touch on history outside of baseball. I've picked up items related to the US Tours in Japan, WWII etc. Within the game few moments are more important than the integration. As Dr. King told Don Newcombe, "You'll never know how easy you and Jackie and Doby and Campy made it for me to do my job by what you did on the baseball field."


In 1947 Jackie Robinson broke into the Majors which was the moment that was most heralded. In 1946 though, the Dodgers had 3 black players playing in the Minors. Jackie played for the Montreal Royals (AAA) while Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe played for the Nashua Dodgers (B).

SCP Auctions just ended last night (while not quite as big as auction houses like Heritage I find that SCP has more items up my alley than any other auction house). They had a ton of amazing Dodgers items (particularly since they include the Walt Alston collection.) But this was one of two items I was able to pick up. A 1946 Nashua Dodgers team signed picture. Includes really nice signatures of Campanella and Newcombe along with Walt Alston who managed the team. The team won the New England League title that year (as they did in 1947 and 1948). While Jackie Robinson deservedly got most of the attention, I think that Campanella and Newcombe deserve some as well.

Great idea and addition to the collection!
DANNY

Awesome pickup man! Born and raised in Nashua so the Dodgers have always held a special place in my heart.

That picture was taken at Holman Stadium, which still stands today and is only 5 blocks from the house I grew up in.

Unfortunately, Lowell and Manchester prevent any affiliated teams from playing there, and the independent leagues have fizzled out. They have a college-Cape Cod style baseball team play there during the summer, but that's it right now which is a damn shame as its a gorgeous and historic ballpark.

If you haven't already, I recommend picking up a great little book called Dem Little Bums-The Nashua Dodgers. Can be had on Amazon for $12.

Dem Little Bums: The Nashua Dodgers...p/0962683248/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_qRLUxbJ91TVDZ

Thanks,
Jeff

Doerrcollector said:

Awesome pickup man! Born and raised in Nashua so the Dodgers have always held a special place in my heart.

That picture was taken at Holman Stadium, which still stands today and is only 5 blocks from the house I grew up in.

Unfortunately, Lowell and Manchester prevent any affiliated teams from playing there, and the independent leagues have fizzled out. They have a college-Cape Cod style baseball team play there during the summer, but that's it right now which is a damn shame as its a gorgeous and historic ballpark.

If you haven't already, I recommend picking up a great little book called Dem Little Bums-The Nashua Dodgers. Can be had on Amazon for $12.

Dem Little Bums: The Nashua Dodgers https://www.amazon.com/dp/0962683248/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_qRLUxbJ91TVDZ

Thanks,
Jeff

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Just ordered the book, thanks!

Also have "Praying for Gil Hodges" and "Opening Day" on the way as far as Dodgers books

It amazes me that I had never heard of the team until I came across the auction. It's a real part of the integration story. Wikipedia explains that Nashua was chosen because of the large French Canadian population there and the fact that they were generally not bigoted. (Fascinating that the location for the team was selected specifically to allow for integration.)

I hate the Dodgers but that's an awesome item. Congrats on a very nice addition

Topnotchsy said:

Just ordered the book, thanks!

Also have "Praying for Gil Hodges" and "Opening Day" on the way as far as Dodgers books

It amazes me that I had never heard of the team until I came across the auction. It's a real part of the integration story. Wikipedia explains that Nashua was chosen because of the large French Canadian population there and the fact that they were generally not bigoted. (Fascinating that the location for the team was selected specifically to allow for integration.)

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Awesome-it's a great read!

It really does have a vital place in the whole tidal wave of change. The Dodgers learned during Jackie's time with the Montreal Dodgers that the French-Canadians loved baseball and they loved Jackie. As you said, at the time there was and still is a large French-Canadian ancestry in Nashua, so much so that there are French-languages masses at Catholic Churches in the city. So the Dodgers sent the battery mates of Newcombe and Campanella there and the rest is history.

Fun fact-if you google Holman Stadium the first result is the historic spring training home of the Dodgers in Vero Beach, Florida. It was built in the 50s. Historic Holman Stadium in Nashua was built in 1937 as part of a Works Progress jobs program. The Dodgers "borrowed" the name for their new spring training stadium in Florida some 15 years later.

Thanks,
Jeff

Fantastic

Doerrcollector said:

Awesome-it's a great read!

It really does have a vital place in the whole tidal wave of change. The Dodgers learned during Jackie's time with the Montreal Dodgers that the French-Canadians loved baseball and they loved Jackie. As you said, at the time there was and still is a large French-Canadian ancestry in Nashua, so much so that there are French-languages masses at Catholic Churches in the city. So the Dodgers sent the battery mates of Newcombe and Campanella there and the rest is history.

Fun fact-if you google Holman Stadium the first result is the historic spring training home of the Dodgers in Vero Beach, Florida. It was built in the 50s. Historic Holman Stadium in Nashua was built in 1937 as part of a Works Progress jobs program. The Dodgers "borrowed" the name for their new spring training stadium in Florida some 15 years later.

Thanks,
Jeff

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Cool fact there. I'm looking forward to reading the book. I just picked these up in a lot on eBay:
- Praying for Gil Hodges (about the 1955 Dodgers season)
- Opening Day (about Jackie's first season 1947)
- My Turn At Bat (Ted Williams autobiography)

Lancemountain said:

Fantastic

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Thanks! Really excited about this pickup.

Topnotchsy said:

Cool fact there. I'm looking forward to reading the book. I just picked these up in a lot on eBay:
- Praying for Gil Hodges (about the 1955 Dodgers season)
- Opening Day (about Jackie's first season 1947)
- My Turn At Bat (Ted Williams autobiography)



Thanks! Really excited about this pickup.

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I have the Ted Williams book and it's auto'd..

Pinbreaker said:

I have the Ted Williams book and it's auto'd..

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Super cool. I own a few signed books and have considered collecting them but I'm scared to start a new collection lol.


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Doerrcollector said:

Awesome-it's a great read!

It really does have a vital place in the whole tidal wave of change. The Dodgers learned during Jackie's time with the Montreal Dodgers that the French-Canadians loved baseball and they loved Jackie. As you said, at the time there was and still is a large French-Canadian ancestry in Nashua, so much so that there are French-languages masses at Catholic Churches in the city. So the Dodgers sent the battery mates of Newcombe and Campanella there and the rest is history.

Fun fact-if you google Holman Stadium the first result is the historic spring training home of the Dodgers in Vero Beach, Florida. It was built in the 50s. Historic Holman Stadium in Nashua was built in 1937 as part of a Works Progress jobs program. The Dodgers "borrowed" the name for their new spring training stadium in Florida some 15 years later.

Thanks,
Jeff

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Went through most of the book already. Doesn't give the 1946 season as much attention as I would have hoped for but a pretty cool read about a mostly forgotten part of baseball history.



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