The 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers season was, of course, one of the most important seasons in the history of American sports. The debut of Jackie Robinson changed everything, not just in baseball, but in America, helping to spearhead the Civil Rights movement and integrate the game.  

Presented here is a 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers player roster that is the "calm before the storm" in a lot of ways, in that it was produced in advance of spring training, before Jackie Robinson was a member of the team. Indeed, Jackie Robinson's name appears nowhere on this piece.  Furthermore, the manager is listed as Leo Durocher, who was suspended for the season by early April and replaced by Clyde Sukeforth for two games, and then by Burt Shotton. A host of players who were traded at the beginning of the season - Kirby Higbe, Hank Behrman, Cal McLish, Gene Mauch, Dixie Howell, Howie Schultz and Tommy Tatum - are all listed on the roster.  And of course, Jackie Robinson is not.

The attractive quad-fold piece is printed in orange and blue, Mullin's "bum" on the cover with a caption "This IS Next Year!" above him. The piece appears very strong, but close examinations reveals some creasing and chipping near the spine and at the corners, technically G-VG.  Eye appeal is fantastic, however.  A historically important piece, one of the last pieces of printed material from the Brooklyn Dodgers not to include Jackie Robinson.