November 2016 Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/19/2016
Charlie Harmon - played for the Cincinnati Redlegs (1954–1956), St. Louis Cardinals (1956–1957) and Philadelphia Phillies (1957). For its 1950-51 season, the National Basketball Association (NBA) was integrated. Harmon tried out for the Boston Celtics but was cut along with Isaac "Rabbit" Walthour, another black star, although Chuck Cooper did make the Celtics squad. Harmon finished that season as player-coach of Utica in the American Basketball League, becoming one of, if not the first, African-American to coach an integrated professional basketball team.
On April 17, 1954, he became the first Black American to play for the Cincinnati Reds. Pinch-hitting for pitcher Corky Valentine against Lew Burdette, Harmon flied out in the seventh inning of a 5-1 loss to the Milwaukee Braves at County Stadium.[6] In the same game he followed another Cincinnati black rookie, Puerto Rican born Nino Escalera. He got his first hit on April 25, 1954. Starting and leading off for the Reds at home in Crosley Field in a 3-2 win over the Chicago Cubs, Harmon singled in the first inning off Howie Pollet. He later doubled and scored on an error, and drew one walk.
Offered is an NL baseball (Warren Giles) from the 1950’s signed on the side panel by Harmon during his playing days. Very seldomly offered single signed baseball from the Jim Armstrong collection