[First African-American Outfield: Monte Irvin, Willie Mays, and Hank Thompson] by Salas, Osvaldo - 2010

Berkeley: Photolab for Serendipity Books, 2010. Near fine. Black-and-white photograph. Image 18 by 14 inches on 16-by-20-inch paper. This photograph was taken on October 4, 1951, during Game 1 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium between the New York Yankees and the New York Giants. The Giants started three black players in the outfield: Monte Irvin in left, the rookie Willie Mays in center, and Hank Thompson in right. It was the first all-African American outfield in Major League Baseball. Irvin and Mays would later be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

This photograph was taken by the Cuban photographer Osvaldo Salas, who had recently opened a studio in New York (he would return to the island when Fidel Castro took over). The print was commissioned by Peter Howard of Serendipity Books, in Berkeley, who somehow obtained the negative and had three (or maybe five--the records are not clear) exhibition quality prints made by Photolab, also in Berkeley. This was the only remaining print of this image in Howard's possession when he died, in 2011. Small ding in one corner, not affecting the image, else fine. Titled in pencil on the verso (back).