On August 26, 1947, Dan Bankhead became the first African American pitcher, in Major League Baseball. After a strong career in the Negro League playing for the Memphis Red Sox, he was signed at age 24 by Branch Rickey to play in the Brooklyn Dodgers farm system.
This 7.5” x 9” Associate Press photo ran in newspapers across the country and shows Bankhead entering his first game in relief of starter Hal Gregg against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. He didn’t have such a stellar game defensively, as he gave up 10 hits in his first MLB appearance, but he did hit a Home Run in his first Major League at-bat (to date – 2022 season, only 133 Major League players have ever accomplished that feat).
This would be a historic photo by any means, but this photo show teammate Jackie Robinson, who had appeared in his first Major League game on April 15, 1947; coming out to greet Bankhead and give him a pep talk. To only be a fly on the wall.
Caption from photo glued to the back along with a vintage date stamp from the next day, August 27, 1947.
One of the most HISTORIC photos we have ever offered!
Encapsulated as an Authentic TYPE 3 photograph by PSA/DNA with an additional LOA with more details.