This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 5/11/2001.
The Major League Baseball record books, the national pastime's version of the Holy Scriptures, are dominated by names like Ruth, Cobb, Young, DiMaggio and Rose. After 1947, when Jackie Robinson finally broke the color line in baseball, it did not take long for names loke Aaron, Mays and Henderson to begin appearing. But what if there had never been a color line; what other names would liberally sprinkle the pages of the record section of the Baseball Encyclopedia? Certainly Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, Dandridge, Irvin, Leonard and possibly others like Campanella, who came to the big leagues as a 27-year-old rookie with 10 campaigns in the Negro Leagues already under his belt. Artist Murray Tinkelman has composed a 34" x 24" framed and matted exceptional piece of artwork featuring many of those great superstars of the Negro Leagues. Original drawings of Paige, Dandridge, Irvin, Leonard and Bell, are accompanied by either directly autographed or cut autographs featured below the drawings in this piece. Tinkelman's work, shown in sepia-colored pen and ink drawings, wonderfully captures each star's persona. All of the autographs rate 9 or better. It is also signed by the artist in pencil.