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Nicknamed “Home Run Brown” by none other than Josh Gibson, Willard Brown was a power-hitting center fielder for the Kansas City Monarchs.

Brown helped the Monarchs to six Negro League pennants including the Negro League championship in 1942. He led the Negro leagues in home runs in 1942 and 1943 before serving in the Army the next two years during World War II.

He was among those sailing on 5,000 ships that crossed the English Channel during the D-Day Invasion of 1944. When he returned from the Army he continued his outstanding play.

From 1946-1950 he hit .323 or better every year including an astounding .432 in 1947. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.

In the collection is this index card autographed by the Negro League great.

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Willard Brown’s big league statistics – 21 games, a .179 batting average – are a woefully incomplete measure of the player he was. His greatest seasons came when he was barred from playing Major League Baseball because of the color of his skin.

Those wrongs were corrected when Brown was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Veterans Committee voters recognized Brown as one of the greatest to play the game. The legendary Buck O’Neil also lists Brown as his right fielder on his All Time Negro League All Stars.

It’s tough to argue with O’Neil’s list. One must imagine all the Negro League history Buck experienced and learned about during his lifetime. Few had such first-hand knowledge of the pre-integration game for those barred from the Major Leagues.

The list is mentions Hall of Fame players throughout, including Cooperstown class of 2006 Willard “Home Run” Brown.