1962

On the morning of 15 April 1947 Jackie Robinson, then 27 years old, stepped from his midtown Manhattan hotel and boarded a train to Ebbets Field in the nearby borough of Brooklyn. He was to play his first game in Major League Baseball with their beloved team, the Dodgers. Robinson had signed on with the organization in 1946 joining the Minor League affiliated Montreal Royals of the International League where he quickly excelled. By seasons end he was named Most Valuable Player batting .349 and displayed prowess of similar levels defensively with an .985 fielding percentage. He also proved an immense drawing card with more than 1,000,000 fans attending games in which he participated, an incredible figure by League standards. He would make history on that April morning in 1947; setting foot onto the field for a 2:25pm start Robinson became the first African American to play in organized baseball during the 20th Century. It was the vision of Dodgers General Manager Branch Rickey, and what he called his "great experiment", that Robinson break the long-standing color barrier in Major League Baseball. His plan had been set in motion nearly two years prior when he and Robinson had an hours long meeting in which he famously stated that needed a player "with guts enough not to fight back", against the inevitable torrent of abuse which was sure to come his way. Agreeing to look the other way no matter bad the taunts, jeers, and threats were to get, Robinson and Rickey reached a deal. In late October of 1945 a contract was very publicly signed which assigned him to Montreal for the 1946 season. Just six days prior to start of Major League play in 1947 he got the call. Jackie was to debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers at home in Ebbets Field. A sharecropper's son born into the deep South was set to become a face of the Civil Rights movement and a pivotal figure in modern American history. He would not just succeed; he surpassed all expectations with regard to both his play on the field and the manner in which he held himself off of it. For his efforts in 1947 Robinson won the inaugural Rookie of The Year Award. He went on to be named an All-Star for six consecutive seasons, won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1949, and played in six World Series with the Dodgers helping them to the Championship in 1955. More importantly, he proved to have been the right man to take on the herculean task of being the first African American in organized baseball. It is hard to imagine another individual who could have stared down adversity with the dignity and class that Robinson displayed. The highest level of recognition a player can receive is Induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. For decades, the achievements of players such as Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, and Oscar Charleston went unrecognized within the hallowed venue mirroring the exclusionary policies of the game itself. The offered ring was presented to Jackie Robinson in honor of his selection in 1962, his first year of eligibility. The black faux stone face has inset figural baseball (complete with red enameled stitching) and “Baseball Hall Of Fame” is lettered around the beveled edge. "2nd Baseman" appears on one shank above a relief image of the Hall of Fame. Opposite has the name "Robinson" atop crossed bat and ball motif and “Elected 1962” is noted at the bottom. Stamped "Balfour 10K" on the interior band, size (10), and weighs (28) grams. Hint of light wear. Included letter of provenance signed by Rachel Robinson is dated 2001 and relays that “this ring has been in the Robinson family archives since Jackie’s passing.” Among the most important sports related pieces of jewelry ever offered at public auction with unequalled symbolic significance: EX/MT