Lot # 138: 1956 Willie Mays (HOF) All-Stars Barnstorming Broadside Advertising Poster

Starting Bid: $250.00

Bids: 27 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Summer, 2022 Premier Auction",
which ran from 8/2/2022 12:00 AM to
8/20/2022 9:00 PM



Outstanding cardboard broadside advertising poster, dating to 1956, during which time star outfielder Willie Mays assembled a barnstorming team consisting solely of Black Major Leaguers.  Mays' barnstorming team included Hank Aaron, Joe Black, Elston Howard, Sam Jones, Frank Robinson and more, and they traveled the country playing exhibition games.  On Saturday, October 13, 1956, the team rolled into Sulphur Dell Ballpark in Nashville, TN, and defeated a team of Negro League All-Stars by an 8-3 margin, with Howard and Hall of Famer Monte Irvin belting home runs for the All-Stars, Bob Boyd and Gene Elliott hitting solo home runs for the Negro League team.

Presented here is a broadside advertising display, promoting the game.  The piece measures approximately 14" 22 1/2", and appears to be screen printed in two colors on white board.  The piece exhibits flattened-out wrinkles where it was once folded into quarters, the photos of Mays, Hank Thompson, Harry Simpson, Monty Irvin and Joe Black appearing amidst the red and black advertising copy.  Though our research has uncovered many newspaper accounts and a few pieces of scattered memorabilia from the games, we have not discovered any advertising posters from any of the games.  Though any memorabilia from these games is certainly rare, advertising materials are virtually nonexistent.  An exceptional piece, dating to the years that major league baseball was beginning to integrate, advertising an outstanding barnstorming team featuring some of the game's greats.

Views: 453