Dodgers Blue Heaven: They Just Walked Through The Door

Thursday, March 05, 2009

They Just Walked Through The Door

Here is another great find that one day just showed up at a Louisville Slugger Museum appraisal fair in November last year.

Delores Knox walked into the Louisville Slugger museum holding a cloth bag full of her father's old photographs. By the time she left, she knew she was holding some of the rarest Negro League memorabilia on earth.

The daughter of former Negro Leaguer J. Leonard Mitchell showed up with her fathers lifetime collection of memorabilia. There were cards, advertising broadsides, photos, tickets, game used equipment and ephemera. Much of the items were Negro League related, but he also had a large collection of vintage entertainment, football, basketball and All American Girls Baseball League photos.

The J. Leonard Mitchell Collection will be made available to collectors on March 7th, as part of Hunt Auctions' live event in King of Prussia, PA. Company president David Hunt says that he rarely comes across anything he hasn't seen before when he's out on the appraisal trail, so it's a special day when such rare items turn up.
"With this group, about 60 to 75 percent of it was unique to me," he says. "Establishing prices was difficult. Bidding gets pretty aggressive because nobody has a set idea of what these things are worth. The market is established right in front of your eyes."

Here are some choice items. Below is a extremely rare advertising broadside featuring the great Satchel Paige. Authentic Negro League broadsides are very difficult to find in any condition.

Auction Link: Satchel Paige Broadside:

This advertising trade card for the Pittsburgh Crawford features Willie "Schoolboy" Rowe and was previously unknown. Mitchell's collection had 3 examples.

Auction Link:School Boy Rowe Trade Card:

Here is a circa 1940's photograph of the Ethiopian Clowns.

Auction Link: Ethiopian Clowns:

Below is a photograph of the 1941 Kansas City Monarchs that includes "should be" Hall of Famer Buck O'Neil.

Auction Link:Pittsburgh Crawfords:

Roy Campanella is featured in this 1942 broadside advertising a couple of games.

Auction Link: Cincinnati Clowns vs. Baltimore Elite Giants w/ Campanella Broadside:

This is one of the nicest items here. Below is a photograph featuring the Homestead Grays that includes Josh Gibson and Buck Leonard.

Auction Link: Homestead Grays Photo:

Game-used equipment from the Negro Leagues is basically non-existent. Here are some cleats and a catcher glove found within Mitchell's belongings and was most likely used in some games.