- Black Memorabilia Newsletter: Jackie Robinson

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=80 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="03c00500dvldtc.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>FC Associates</B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="FC Associates"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Gipper Ball"><U>The Gipper Ball</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Mickey Charles Mantle: May 1, 1951: A "><U>- Mickey Charles Mantle:  May 1, 1951: A Career Begins...</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" The George Washington Inaugural Bible"><U>- The George Washington Inaugural Bible</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Carl Rices Excellent Adventure: Let The"><U>- Carl Rice's Excellent Adventure: Let The Seller Beware</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Roger Maras: Chasing the Ghost of the B"><U>- Roger Maras: Chasing the Ghost of the Babe</U></A>   |   <A HREF="artifacts_from_the_greatest_baseball_player_of_all_time__babe_ruth.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Artifacts From The Greatest Baseball Pl"><U>- Artifacts From The Greatest Baseball Player of All Time: Babe Ruth</U></A>   |   <A HREF="collecting_tobacco_baseball_cards.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Collecting Tobacco Baseball Cards"><U>- Collecting Tobacco Baseball Cards</U></A>   |   <B>- Black Memorabilia Newsletter:  Jackie Robinson</B>   |   <A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Hank Gowdy: Baseball Player and War He"><U>- Hank Gowdy:  Baseball Player and War Hero</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Brown Bomber Joe Louis: A True Sport"><U>"The Brown Bomber" Joe Louis: A True Sports Hero To All</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="03dd2c00dvldtc.gif"> <div> <IMG SRC="0c0bae70.jpg" border=0 width="186" height="231" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=400 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> - Black Memorabilia Newsletter:  Jackie Robinson</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>NATIONAL TREASURES</B></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Black Memorabilia</B></I><B> Newsletter:  Jackie Robinson</B></div> <bR> <div> By Frank Ceresi and Carol McMains</div> <bR> <div>      During the last several years there has been enormous interest in collecting unique sports artifacts and memorabilia.  This has been especially true for collectibles representing or commemorating African-American athletes.  Each issue of the Newsletter will contain some of those unique national treasures as highlighted by Frank Ceresi and Carol McMains, long time museum consultants and collectibles appraisers.  For this inaugural issue, Frank and Carol will be sharing their insights on one of the most popular African-American athletes of all time . . . Jackie Robinson.</div> <bR> <div>      Jack Roosevelt Robinson, born in 1919, grew up in Pasadena, California and from a young age was an extraordinary athlete.  While attending UCLA he starred in four different sports; track and field, basketball, football and baseball.  Not only did Jackie break the Pacific Coast Conference record in the broad jump, but he was the school basketball team's leading scorer and, on the gridiron, led the nation in yards per carry for the UCLA football team.  Also, of course, Jackie was a baseball player who, unfortunately after graduation, faced what thousands of African-Americans confronted during the first half of the 20<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> century . . . the Major League color barrier.  </div> <bR> <div>      After serving in the military, Robinson joined the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro League.  He was ready to give up his $100 a week stint with the Monarchs and settle down with his family, but fate had other plans for this young ambitious renaissance man. For when he was approached by Branch Rickey, owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, his life and the game of baseball, the game reverently called the National Pastime, would change forever.  Rickey would offer Robinson the chance to play at the Major League level,  a position an African-American had not had for the previous five or six decades. Robinson agreed to Rickey's grand plan, obliterated the color barrier and thereafter become a hero to millions of people.  He went on to have a sterling Major League career and, although he played just ten years, Jackie helped Rickey's Brooklyn Dodgers make six World Series appearances.  Mr. Robinson was enshrined in Baseball's Hall of Fame on his first year of eligibility.  </div> <bR> <div>      Today, Robinson is recognized not only for his great baseball career but also for the pioneering mark he made on civil rights.  Naturally, vintage sports memorabilia related to Robinson is highly collectible.  There are literally hundreds of different items and collectibles that commemorate Robinson and that relate to his life and career on the baseball diamond.  For example, Jackie appeared on many different baseball cards through the years, from the regional Bond Bread issue to the familiar Topps cards. </div> <bR> <div>           He also adorned the cover of countless magazines and other periodicals and was commemorated on everything from watch fobs and drinking glasses to stadium pins and other giveaways. Each of these items has become collectible and vary in value.  Additionally, artifacts that are very significant and rare are those vintage items that were either owned or used by the man himself.  Examples include game worn uniforms, equipment or personal effects such as awards and trophies.  Also, autographed photos, programs and books are highly prized. </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>