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Lot # 942: Jackie Robinson's Last Home Run Ticket - 1956 Tour of Japan

Starting Bid: $200.00

Bids: 5 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "2019 Spring Classic",
which ran from 5/7/2019 10:00 AM to
6/7/2019 10:00 PM



Valued Jackie Robinson find from his final home run shot. The public or the Dodgers didn't know it at the time, but the Brooklyn Dodgers' 1956 exhibition tour of Japan was to be Jackie Robinson's last time appearing as a player. The Dodgers won the National League pennant in 1956, but lost the World Series to the New York Yankees in seven games. Then it was almost immediately off to Japan for their 22-game tour. Robinson had played 117 games in 1956 and hit .275, but he decided over the off-season to retire in order to take an executive position with Chock Full o'Nuts. He didn't announce his decision immediately because he had sold his retirement story rights to Life Magazine, but when the Dodgers traded him to the New York Giants, Robinson had to announce that he was retiring. All of this was unknown at the time of the Japanese visit, and when Robinson homered on November 12th in a 10-0 victory over the Japanese, no one realized it would be his last home run. Ticket is written in Japanese and is approximately 3x5". Features a graphic of a player sliding home, almost like that of Robinson's steal of home against the New York Yankees in the 1955 World Series. Ticket sold for 1,200 yen, quite an expensive ticket at the time. Ticket says in Japanese that this is the "Fifth United States Tour" of Japan. Ticket also shows that the original scheduled date of the game was supposed to be November 11th That game was rained out and played on November 12th. Ticket's condition is Excellent. This ticket has important historical significance.

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