This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/12/2021
What if the first black player in major league history wasn't Jackie Robinson? What if it was Willie Mays, or Roy Campanella, or dare we say, Satchel Paige? Each was more than qualified to play in the major leagues as evidenced by their Hall of Fame status, but would they have been able to perform at such an exceptional level had they been the first, subjected to life under a microscope with constant antagonism from other players and coaches and death threats from every direction? Robinson was chosen not only for his skill but his background as a college-educated athlete with a military background, tools that he would need to face the rigors of the longstanding "whites only" unwritten rule of baseball. Jackie Robinson achieved everything Dodgers owner Branch Rickey had hoped of him, and more. By the time Topps was rolling out their 1956 baseball card collection, his success on the field resulted in him being just one of many black players that had built a resume worthy of Cooperstown. Though it would be 37-year old Robinson's last season (he was traded to the Giants following the '56 season but the trade never went through as he retired and become an executive for the Chock Full O' Nuts company), Robinson's legacy would place him among the greats of the game. The appealing red, yellow and blue pigments combined with the attractive portrait and engaging action shot make the 1956 Topps card of Robinson one of the finest that carries his likeness. This featured example is one of only 9 with the gray reverse to earn the honor of a PSA 9 grade with none graded higher and projects a central image that is particularly bold and deeply pigmented, teamed with near-perfect centering and MINT to GEM MINT corners that make it arguably the finest example in existence. For a master set builder or an advanced Hall of Famer card collector, you won't find many cards from the set that are of bigger influence on a set rating than this prize!