Jackie Robinson: The chicken or the egg?

Cmount76 · #1 09-07-2017, 06:04 PM

I'm a collector and I proudly display as much as I have space for - That said, a 1947 Jackie Robinson jersey displays a whole helluva lot cooler than a contract.

mcgwirecom · #2 09-07-2017, 06:23 PM

I'm a jersey guy. Much better appeal when framed and displayed than a contract. Also if I remember correctly there are up to 3 copies of a players contract. He gets one, the club gets one and they file one with the league.

btcarfagno · #3 09-07-2017, 07:01 PM

The Jersey he played his first game in? Absolutely the Jersey. Otherwise, the contracts all day every day. A rookie Jersey can only be tied to "probably". He probably wore this when he experienced that. Not trying to dismiss the significance of a Jackie Robinson rookie year Jersey by any means. It is a transcendent item.

However.

Without Jackie signing those contracts none of it happens. Without what happened between Rickey and Robinson in that office on the day that it was signed, none of it happens. They may not look as nice on display. But for a decent percentage of our population, those two signed contracts mean more than a signed copy of the Declaration of Independence.

Tom C

Dave Grob · #4 09-07-2017, 07:38 PM

Tom,

Thanks for the post on the question. As I read your response, for you the argument for the signifcane of the contracts is based on sequence or the necessary enabling actions that made the wearing of the jersey even possible.

Dave Grob

Mark · #5 09-07-2017, 07:43 PM

As a collector of game used stuff, I would take the Jersey. But if I were the curator of a museum, I would certainly prefer the contract. As has been said, signing it changed the country.

btcarfagno · #6 09-07-2017, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Grob

Tom,

Thanks for the post on the question. As I read your response, for you the argument for the signifcane of the contracts is based on sequence or the necessary enabling actions that made the wearing of the jersey even possible.

Dave Grob

In this case, yes.

1932 Bill Dickey. Contract or Jersey? Jersey.

1947 Ted Williams. Contract or Jersey? Jersey.

1955 Roberto Clemente. Contract or Jersey? Jersey.

THESE Robinson contracts or THAT Robinson jersey? To me it's not close.

Tom C

Mark70Z · #7 09-10-2017, 06:40 PM

In almost every case I'd choose the GU jersey, but with Robinson signing and breaking the color barrier, in this case, and changing baseball and bringing a change to civil rights, I'd have to go with the contract. Man, every baseball fan has seen the pictures of Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson signing the contract and the smiles on their faces. Both very, very cool, but the contract would be my pick.

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