1952 Mother's Cookies #37, Roy Welmaker ⭐ Negro League Star
A celebration of Black History Month with a salute to Roy Welmaker.
Roy Welmaker, a left-handed pitcher, made his professional baseball debut in 1932, at 19 years-old, with the Atlanta Black Crackers.
Racism that plagued MLB before integration in 1947 deprived Roy Welmaker any chance of playing in the A.L./N.L.
He spent most of his prime playing years with the Homestead Grays, helping make them a dominant team in the Negro League, leading them to 3 Negro League World Series appearances alongside Josh Gibson and Buck Leonard.
He also played in Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Mexican Leagues.
During World War II he missed 2 full years to serve in the U.S. Army (1943-45).
He played several years in the Pacific Coast League (PCL), which at the time was considered the "third" major league. He spent time with the San Diego Padres, Hollywood Stars, and Portland Beavers.

1950 Bowman #174, Hank Thompson ⭐ RC
Hank Thompson is generally recognized as the third Black player in the modern Major League Baseball (MLB) era to break the color barrier, debuting for the St. Louis Browns on July 17, 1947. He followed Jackie Robinson (April 15, 1947) and Larry Doby (July 5, 1947) in integrating the league.

Key facts regarding Hank Thompson and his contributions during this period of integration include:

• Thompson is notable for integrating two different franchises; he played for the St. Louis Browns in 1947 and later for the NY Giants (along with Monte Irvin) in 1949.

• He is also recognized as the first Black batter to face a Black pitcher in a MLB game when he batted against Don Newcombe on July 8, 1949.

• Hank was also part of the first all-Black outfield in MLB history when he played right field along with teammates Willie Mays (centerfield) and Monte Irvin (left field) in Game 1 of the 1951 World Series on October 4, 1951.

1950 Bowman #22, Jackie Robinson ⭐ Black History Month, MLB Pioneer
The first of the MLB Pioneers forced to start his career in the Negro Leagues but soon elevated to an elite level where he is recognized a a legendary Hall of Famer.
This 1950 Bowman is one of Jackie's best cards, IMO.
It's a small piece of art on cardboard.

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