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Lot # 120: Rare Effa Manley Autographed "Negro Baseball...Before Integration" Book

Starting Bid: $400.00

Bids: 1 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed

Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Spring 2006 Catalog",
which ran from 4/5/2006 12:00 AM to
4/28/2006 9:00 PM



Effa Manley has been called the blackest white woman in the world. Her mother was white and had an affair with a white man, technically making her 100% white. However, at the time Effa's mother was married to a black man, she grew up with black siblings in a black neighborhood, thinking she was African-American. She passed for a black woman; she, like her mother, also married a black man. Effa played a larger role in the Negro leagues than other woman. She was part owner of the Newark Eagles, with her husband Abe. She made decisions at board meetings, and had a great deal of authority behind the scenes. She campaigned for equal pay for her athletes, and donated gate receipts to civil rights causes. Finally, this past year, her contributions to Negro League ball were recognized, when she became the first woman to be enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Manley's signature is very scarce, and when found, it is often on official team documents. Presented here is a signed copy of a book she co-authored, titled Negro Baseball...Before Integration. The book is inscribed to prominent collector William J Hirsch. The inscription reads, "To William J. Hirsch Happy Reading Effa Manley." The clean signature grades a 9/10. The book is in overall NM-MT condition.

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