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Don Newcombe first appeared on a baseball card in the 1950 Bowman set. Newk has penned his signature on this one. He broke in with Brooklyn in the 1949 season and had an immediate impact winning 17 games and leading the National League in shutouts with five.

His performance earned him an all star appearance and the Rookie of the Year Award. Newcombe would go on to win the Cy Young and MVP Award, the first player to win the trio. Justin Verlander would later match Newcombe’s feat.

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Two years after Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier, Don Newcombe joined him, Roy Campanella and Larry Doby in the 1949 All Star Game. The contest marked the first integrated Mid Summer Classic in baseball history.

Jackie started at second base with Campy coming off the bench at catcher. Their Dodger teammate Newk took the loss after giving up two runs on three hits in 2 2/3 innings. On the AL side, outfielder Doby came on as a pinch-runner then played both right and center field.

Doby’s Junior Circuit club prevailed in high-scoring 11-7 affair. Joe and Dom DiMaggio each had a double and a single while combining for four RBI and 3 runs scored.

For the losing side, Stan Musial and Ralph Kiner each hit homers in front of the Brooklyn faithful at Ebbets Field.

The AL victory was it’s 12th win in the first 16 All Star contests.

Shown here is a 14-karat gold wristwatch given to American League President William Harridge. The inscription on the back of the watch reads, “All Star Game Brooklyn, July 12, 1949”.

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After playing two seasons with the Newark Eagles of the Negro League, Don Newcombe broke in with the Dodgers in 1949. Upon his arrival, the 6’4″ right-hander was an immediate star.

The ’49 Rookie of the Year, Newcombe was an All Star in each of his first three campaigns with Brooklyn. He received votes in MVP balloting in all three seasons.

In the collection is this government postcard signed by Newcombe in June of 1950. That season he won 19 games, and set career-highs in saves (3), and complete games (20).

In the All Star game, Newcombe relieved starter Robin Roberts. After pitching a scoreless 4th inning, Newcombe ran into trouble.

Tigers third baseman George Kell hit a sac fly; Ted Williams followed with an RBI single. In two innings pitched, Newcombe allowed a pair of runs on three hits and a walk.

The NL tied the game at three with a run in the 9th. In the top of the 14th, Cardinals second baseman Red Schoendienst hit a solo shot for what proved to the winning run. Reds hurler Ewell Blackwell pitched the final three innings to earn the win.

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Though Don Newcombe’s signature is by no means rare, examples such as these remain highly sought-after. Shown here is the back side of the autographed government postcard. Notice the postmark from Brooklyn, New York on June 17, 1950 at 9:00pm.

Earlier that day Newk’ appeared in his 50th career game.

In the top of the 1st inning the Dodger hurler gave up a solo homer to Cardinals second baseman Red Schoendienst. The Dodgers answered with four runs behind RBI hits by Jackie Robinson, Carl Furillo, and Roy Campanella. Duke Snider later added the 40th homer of his career as the Dodger offense carried the day.

Newk’ settled down, scattering five hits in the complete-game 10-2 Dodger victory. It was the 10th win of the season and the 25th complete game of his career. The big right hander recorded 8 strikeouts to give him 200 for his career.

This postcard was signed four days after his 24th birthday.

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When Jim “Mudcat” Grant won a league-leading 21 games in 1965, he became the American League’s first African-American 20-game winner. Later he published his autobiography under the title, The Black Aces: Baseball’s Only African-American Twenty-Game Winners.

The term, “Black Aces” came to represent 20-game winners of African-American descent. The first member of the club was Don Newcombe of the 1951 Brooklyn Dodgers. A Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, and MVP, Newk’ had 20 or more wins on three occasions including a league-leading 27 in 1956.

Four years later Sam Jones of the San Francisco Giants posted an NL-best 21 victories to join Newcombe. First AL Black Ace Mudcat Grant earned his 20th win of 1965 on September 25; eight days later the Cardinals’ Bob Gibson became the club’s fourth member. Gibson reached the 20-win plateau again in 1966, ’68, ’69, and ’70.

In 1967 Fergie Jenkins and Earl Wilson gained membership by winning 20 and 22 games respectively. Jenkins proved to be the most prolific of the 20-game winners, reaching the mark in seven seasons.

Vida Blue had the first of his three 20-win seasons in 1971 when he was voted the American League Most Valuable Player. That same year Al Downing captured the NL’s Comeback Player of the Year Award by winning 20 contests.

Flamethrower JR Richard secured his spot with the Black Aces in 1976 with exactly 20 victories while Mike Norris joined him as a 22-game winner in 1980 with the A’s.

Dwight Gooden had perhaps the finest season of any of the aces in 1985. It was a Triple Crown campaign for Doc who led the NL in wins (24), ERA (1.53) and strikeouts (268). That same decade, Dave Stewart dominated AL hitters by winning 20+ in four consecutive seasons started in 1987.

Former Rookie of the Year Dontrelle Willis became the first Black Ace of the 21st century with 22 victories in 2005. Five years later CC Sabathia of the New York Yankees led the league with 21 triumphs to join his mates. The most recent addition to the exclusive club is David Price who won exactly 20 in his Cy Young campaign of 2012.

Shown here is the contract Black Ace Bob Gibson signed to play for St. Louis during that 1974 campaign. It was a historic year for Gibson who joined Walter Johnson as the second member of the 3,000 strikeout club.

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In the collection is a photo of Don Newcombe and Duke Snider, teammates for eight seasons. The pair was key in the only World Championship the Dodgers would celebrate in Brooklyn.

Newcombe posted his third 20-win season and led the league in winning percentage, WHIP, and K/BB ratio. For good measure, he hit .359 with 7 homers and 23 runs batted in. Snider did his part as well, leading the league with 126 runs and 136 runs batted in.

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The pinnacle of Newcombe’s individual achievements was his 1956 Cy Young and MVP season. That year he led the Major Leagues with 27 wins; the next closest player had 21.

He was among the top four NL pitchers in strikeouts, shutouts, and complete games. The Dodgers went to a World Series rematch with the Yankees but lost in seven games.

In the collection is this 1961 Topps card commemorating Newk’s MVP campaign. The pitcher has neatly signed his name across the front of hte card.

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