Introduction
September 24 - December 8, 2017
To mark the 70th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s breaking the color line in major league baseball, and in recognition of Bernie and Ann Parker’s gift to the DeGolyer Library of a remarkable collection of memorabilia devoted to the Brooklyn Dodgers, DeGolyer Library explored a “golden age” in baseball history, during which the three New York teams—Yankees, Dodgers, and Giants--dominated the standings with some of the most memorable and talented players and managers of all time: Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Roy Campanella, Don Newcombe, Duke Snider, Yogi Berra, Monte Irvin, Casey Stengel, Leo Durocher, and Walter Alston.
Featured are period books, magazines, newspapers, programs, souvenirs, photographs, balls, bats, and gloves--even two seats from Ebbets Field, the home of the Dodgers! A young reporter for the Fort Worth Press, Blackie Sherrod, even wrote a poem describing Willie Mays and “the catch” in the 1954 World Series.
Beyond baseball, we are also reminded of Jackie Robinson’s courage, devotion to the cause of civil rights, and legacy for all Americans.