Play Ball exhibit at History Colorado Center, Denver, featuring the Marshall Fogel collection of baseball artifacts.
In an era before multi-year, multi-million contracts, ballplayers were happy to get endorsements, for just about anything.
Jackie Robinson for Bond bread
Joe DiMaggio for Dodge
Stan Musial for chesterfield
Evolution of the glove
Babe Ruth 1914-1935
Joe DiMaggio 1936-1951
Willie Mays 1951-1973
Colorado baseball then
Denver Zephyrs 1984-1992
Denver Bears 1947-1954
Opening day 1923 and the Denver Bears are led onto the field by their mascot
Colorado baseball now
Ticket to the first Colorado Rockies game in 1993
Coors Field, Denver opened in 1995
Rockies jerseys
Breaking barriers
In 1934, at a time when baseball was completely segregated the Denver Post tournament invited the all-black Kansas City Monarchs to play the white House of David team
The Bayly-Underhill company sponsored a co-ed baseball team circa 1910-1915
New York baseball before MLB’s Manifest Destiny
New York Giants 1911 championship trophy
off the leash 
Interesting look at baseball history. The 1935 gloves look more than what we’d wear now as winter gloves than a baseball mitt. And it’s hard to believe now that at one time sports figures promoted tobacco products.
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I suspect there was a time when they smoked in the dugout.
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Great pictures…could that wad of chewing tobacco be any larger?!
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I hope they just packed some extra in for the promotional shot. Hate to think he walked around like that.
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Those were the days!😍
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Love the mascot 🙂
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Not sure I’d want to walk a bear on a leash.
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🙂
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Such an amazing American sport. Surely, even in segregation brought lots of unity to the USA.
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My granddad was an avid baseball fan–following the Pirates. Anytime he got to drive the 1.5 hours to Pittsburgh for a game, it was a major event. Thanks for sharing these posts and making me remember time spent with a great man.
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