1958 Jackie Robinson Signed Letter with Time Magazine Display - JSA

Presented is a remarkable display featuring a letter signed by Brooklyn Dodgers Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson alongside a Time Magazine bearing his image. The magazine (graded 3.0 by CGC) is one of the most iconic images and mementos surrounding Robinson's integration into professional baseball during his 1947 rookie season. A smiling Robinson is boldly depicted on the front cover atop a simple description reading only "He and the boss took a chance." It was quite a chance by both parties, but Robinson would go on to win Rookie of the Year, MVP in 1949, and a World Series championship in 1955. After the 1956 season, Robinson opted to retire, shifting his focus to the world of business, where he became Vice President of Personnel for Chock Full 'O Nuts. The second part of this display is a letter on company letterhead dated May 14, 1958, only a short time after the Dodgers played their first game in Los Angeles after the cross-country move during the offseason. In the letter to Goldy Norton of the Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Museum, Robinson writes with a tone that is in stark contrast to the smiling, happy figure depicted on the magazine. In just five sentences, Robinson rejects participating in a museum function and does not allow the legacy of Branch Rickey, responsible for bringing him to the Dodgers over a decade earlier, to be invoked in an effort to change his mind. Robinson's time in Brooklyn was marked at times by tenuous relationships with teammates, his manager, and the media. After the 1956 season, he was unceremoniously traded to the crosstown rival New York Giants, which never took effect as he chose to retire instead. In this letter, Robinson's anger is palpable, and he will not relent to support his old team as they establish themselves in a new city. He has signed the letter in bold blue ink. This is a superb display with incredible content, which is of paramount importance when collecting documents. Total dimensions: 18 x 25 Inches. Full LOA from James Spence/JSA. The size/weight of this item requires that there will be an additional shipping charge for this lot.