1952 Parkhurst Frostade #64, Dan Bankhead ⭐ MLB Pioneer
Dan Bankhead holds a monumental place in sports history as the first African American pitcher in Major League Baseball.
After showcasing an elite, "fireballing" arm with the Birmingham Black Barons and Memphis Red Sox in the Negro Leagues, he broke the pitching color barrier on August 26, 1947, with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Bankhead was also a uniquely skilled, two-way player; he was leading the Negro Leagues with a .385 batting average when MLB purchased his contract, and famously hit a home run in his very first MLB at-bat.

1952 Parkhurst #68, Jim Gilliam ⭐ MLB Pioneer
When I got back into the hobby, I was passionate (still am) about collecting what I call "MLB Pioneers", those are baseball players who played in the Negro League and also made it to The Show.
I learned so much about baseball and baseball card history through this part of my collection that it is mind boggling.
Jim "Junior" Gilliam is one of the players I learned about and became preoccupied with.
Through my passion for Jim Gilliam, I developed a love of oddball and minor league cards.
This card fits the bill on 3 card things I love - Jim Gilliam, oddball, and minor league cards. Check out the cool back of this card (sorry for the poor photo quality).
Jim Gilliam is a Dodger legend and his #19 is retired by the Dodgers, the only player with his number retired by the Dodgers who is not in the MLB Hall of Fame.
played in the Negro Leagues for the Baltimore Elite (pronounced E-Light) Giants from 1946 to 1950. During his time with Baltimore he was a three-time Negro League All-Star and a key infielder before signing with the Dodgers in 1951.