“Boston Baseball Legends” Poster Autographed by Sam Jethroe and Walt Dropo.
Lot 217. “Boston Baseball Legends” Poster Autographed by Sam Jethroe and Walt Dropo. The 16” x 18.75” poster recognizes the two baseball players as National League and American League Rookies of the Year, respectively. On April 18, 1950, Jethroe, a 33-year-old rookie who had earned two batting titles in the Negro Leagues, broke Boston’s National League color barrier by playing centerfield for the Braves. He scored two runs and drove in two, one with a home run. He garnered N.L. Rookie of the Year honors by leading the league with 35 stolen bases while batting .273 and scoring 100 runs with 159 hits, 18 home runs and 58 RBI. He played two more MLB seasons. A star athlete at the University of Connecticut, Dropo was drafted in 1946 by the Chicago Bears and in 1947 by a Basketball Association of America team. He chose baseball instead and made his MLB with the Boston Red Sox in 1950. In a spectacular season, he led the A.L. in RBI with 144 and in total bases with 326, batted .322 and hit 34 home runs, second best in the league. He was selected for the All-Star Game and finished sixth in A.L. MVP voting. Unfortunately, in 1951, he broke his wrist, and he never had another season like 1950. He played for five teams in 13 seasons. Jethroe died in 2001, and Dropo, in 2010. The signatures of both players are mint 9 to gem mint 10 on the limited edition poster, #248 of 500, and apparently #11 of 97 signed. The poster, which is nm, has PSA/DNA label C45410. Winning Bid $55.
