This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/30/2017
Before Jackie Robinson made his historic Major League debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947, Branch Rickey signed Robinson in 1946 and assigned him to the highest level minor league (AAA) team, the Montreal Royals. Both teams held their respective spring trainings in Daytona Beach, Florida and on March 17, 1946, the two teams got together for an exhibition game at City Island Park.
Offered is a program from that 1946 exhibition game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and Montreal Monarchs. This official program has “MONTREAL Royals” on the top and a left handed pitcher shown in his windup. This program was sold for 10 cents and has in French “CARTE OFFICIELLE DE POINTAGE” with the English translation “OFFICIAL SCORE CARD” across a red stripe. This program has been scored in pencil and features the pre-printed Brooklyn Dodgers batting order lineup that inclues Eddie Stanky, Harry “Cookie” Lavagetto, Joe Medwick, Gene Hermanski, Ed Stevens, Stan Rojek, Bruce Edwards and Carl Furillo. The reserves listed included Pee Wee Reese, Mike Sandlock, Charlie Dressen, Howie Schultz, Dixie Walker, Kirby Higbie, Ferrell Anderson, Dick Whitman, Bob Ramazzotti, Vic Lombardi, Joe Hatten (listed as “Batten”), Ralph Branca, Art Herring, Ed Head, Augie Galan, Hugh Casey, Rex Barney, Pete Reiser, Hal Gregg and Red Corriden.
The printed batting order for the Montreal Royals includes Marv Rackley, Tommy Tatum, Jackie Robinson, Chet Ross, Red Durrett, Earl Naylor, Lester Burge, Spider Jorgensen, Lew Riggs, Herman Franks, Dixie Howell, and Al Campanis. Other players listed are Roy Partlow, Steve Nagy, Cy Buker, Glen Moulder, Jean-Pierre Roy, John Gabbard, Curt Davis, Chet Kehn, Ben Cardoni and Manager Clay Hopper. Robinson played the first five innings and went 0-3 at the plate while batting sixth in the lineup. Robinson did score a run in the contest that was won by the Dodgers 7-2. Given its age, this program is in good shape. The bindings are still intact and normal edge and corner wear is present. The program has been scored lightly in pencil.