Long before Branch Rickey was breaking ground as the General Manager for the Brooklyn Dodgers, he was a young coach at Ohio Wesleyan University. A member of the 1903 and 1904 Ohio Wesleyan club, Rickey developed an interesting relationship with their only African-American player, Charles Thomas. During his time at Ohio Wesleyan, Rickey promised Thomas that one day African-American ballplayers would be able to play in the Major Leagues. Over 40 years later Rickey fulfilled his promise by signing Jackie Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers.

     Inside this copy of the “Le Bijou” Ohio Wesleyan yearbook from 1905 are multiple photographs of Rickey and Charles Thomas. Both are present in the photograph of the 1903 and 1904 teams, while Thomas appears sporadically elsewhere in the yearbook. The book is suede bound, and while the suede is fraying the binding of the book remains exceptionally intact.

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