MONTE IRVIN - NEWSPAPER PHOTOGRAPH SIGNED - HFSID 2217

MONTE IRVIN
The Hall of Famer is shown with four New York Giant teammates in this 4½x3 black and white newspaper photograph
Newspaper Photograph signed: "Monte/Irvin". B/w, 4½x3. Players depicted are (from left to right): Hank Thompson, Alvin Dark, Don Mueller, Willie Mays, and Monte Irvin. After baseball's color line was broken in 1947, Monte Irvin (1919-2016) became the fourth black player signed to a Major League team. The ballplayer was a four-sport star in high school and was even offered a scholarship to play football at the University of Michigan. Nevertheless, he stuck to baseball, playing for the Newark Eagles of the Negro National League.From 1938 to 1942, he played for the Eagles and, briefly, for the Azules de Veracruz of the Mexican League. After serving in the military from 1943 to 1945, Irvin returned to the Newark Eagles and helped them defeat the Kansas City Monarchs to win the 1946 Negro League World Series. In 1949, the fielder became one of the first black players to sign to an MLB team. He joined the New York Giants, later mentoring his teammate Willie Mays when he joined the team. Hank Thompson, Willie Mays, and Irvin formed the first outfield entirely composed of black players. As a member of the Giants, Irvin helped lead the team to a 1954 World Series win. Irvin was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973. Uneven edges. Right edge has ¼x1½-inch paper loss. Otherwise, fine condition.