V4703

Negro Leagues Baseball

Jose Mendez - Pitcher and Manager

Collins Cover Announcement 

Negro Leagues Baseball

Jose Mendez

My third and final cachet for the Negro Leagues Baseball stamps features a mostly unheralded player named Jose Mendez who, in fact, was one of the game's best pitchers ever. In exhibition games against Major League teams, Mendez defeited star pitchers such as Christy Mathewson and Eddie Plank. After one game, legendary New York Giants manager John McGraw said that Jose was like "Walter Johnson and Grover Alexander rolled into one. " Further, Hall of Famer John Henry Lloyd proclaimed that he had "never seen a better pitcher than Mendez. "

Jose was a thin, tough right hander with an unbelievable fastball. He started with the Cuban League in 1908 and for three years had the most wins in the entire league. Mendez went on to star for the Kansas City Monarchs and in 1924's Negro League World Series pitched in four games with a 1.42 ERA. Starting the final game, he hurled a shutout victory over the Hilldale Daisies.

My individually hand painted cachet features Mendez in his Monarch uniform. Also pictured is the trophy presented to the star payer by team owner J. L. Wilkenson. It has a large M (for Monarchs) surrounded by a circle of oak leaves. Below this emblem, it is engraved "To Jose Mendez" and on the base it reads "World's Colored Champions, Kansas City Monarchs, KC. Mo. — Oct. 20, 1924. "

I'm pleased at long last to pay tribute to the most valuable player of the inaugural Negro Leagues World Series — Jose Mendez. Collins #V4703. It has both stamps. $14.50.