This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/23/2015
Cecil Cole only played one year in the Negro Leagues, but his debut could not have come at a more fortuitous time. The Newark Eagles captured their first and only World Championship in franchise history in 1946. Powered by a lineup that featured three future Hall of Fame players (Larry Doby, Monte Irvin, and Leon Day) as well as legendary veteran Biz Mackey, the Eagles won the Negro National League pennant and then defeated the Kansas City Monarchs (a powerhouse team that included Hall of Famers Willard Brown, Buck O'Neil, Hilton Smith, and Satchel Paige) in a dramatic seven-game series to claim the World Championship. Cole saw only limited action in his one and only season with the Eagles, finishing the season with a 2-2 record. Although his professional career as a player was brief, Cole was involved in organized baseball for forty years. After a five-year stint with the Baltimore Orioles as a scout, he enjoyed the same position with the Pittsburgh Pirates for thirty-five years. Based upon that information, it is most likely that the Pirates had this ring produced for Cole out of gratitude for his many years of service to the club. Despite its more recent vintage, it is still an impressive souvenir relating to the one of the last seasons of Negro League play. Size: approximately 9.25.
The ring is accompanied by signed letters of provenance from both Cecil Cole’s widow and grandson.