Scope and Contents Cast iron mechanical bank featuring stereotypical representations of three African American baseball players. The metal bank includes a pitcher, a batter, and a catcher all with moveable parts. The fully-functioning spring-loaded bank operates by placing a coin in a slot in the pitcher’s hand and rotating the pitcher’s arm backwards (which also bows the pitcher’s head) to set the arm. Pressing a lever behind the catcher, causes the pitcher to “throw” the coin, the batter to swing the bat,...

Content Description 15 letters and cards written and signed by former Negro Leagues players responding to autograph collector Joel Meltzer. The correspondence ranges from small cards to multi-page letters. The authors of many letters discuss the best players they faced, answer other questions, and sometimes provide biographical details. Many letters reference photos or cards signed by the players for Meltzer. None of the letters, however, are accompanied by any signed memorabilia. There are also no envelopes or...

Scope and Contents One Jackie Robinson doll wearing a Brooklyn Dodgers uniform. The doll is a 13-inch tall, fully jointed composition doll, molded with painted hair and painted facial features. The doll is wearing a blue Brooklyn Dodgers hat with with a white “B” logo, a blue warm-up jacket that reads “Dodgers” in white script, a gray jersey that reads “Dodgers” in blue script on the front and the number “42” in blue on the back, gray pants, blue socks, and black shoes with laces. Original...