This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/1/2022
To some, it's just a high-profile baseball card, but the 1948 Leaf Jackie Robinson rookie card is more than just a piece of cardboard; it's symbolic of a societal shift that was in place since the birth of baseball itself. The first sentence on the reverse tells it all, closing the book on nearly a century of racial segregation in professional baseball. Having withstood the hardships of hatred and bigotry, facing threats in every city to which he traveled in addition to his home city of Brooklyn, Jackie Robinson carved out a Hall of Fame career that included a National League Rookie of the Year Award, an NL MVP award, two stolen base titles and a batting title. He also helped the Dodgers finally end their World Series losing streak to the Yankees in 1955, all of which opened the door for so many legendary black players that followed like Mays and Aaron. Unlike most examples from this condition-sensitive issue, the offered card enjoys outstanding centering while the corners and edges are completely in line with assessment if not slightly better. The reverse is well-printed with dark black print introducing the baseball pioneer and all of his previous accomplishments. This is an important example of a baseball immortal that is unquestionably a necessity in any world-class vintage collection.