The Phillies were the last National League team to become integrated fielding all white teams until John Irvin Kennedy's debut in 1957. The Phillies were the 14th of 16 major league teams to field a black player. The Tigers followed in 1958 with Ozzie Virgil Sr. and the Red Sox completed the process when they played Pumpsie Green in 1959. Offered here are the following four assignment documents ("Uniform Agreement for the Assignment of a Player's Contract to or by a Major League Club") responsible for Kennedy's accomplishment:

Document #l--April 12 1957 Philadelphia purchases "The contract of John 1. Kennedy outright for the cash consideration of one thousand ($1000.) dollars" from the Schenectady Baseball Club.

On April 22 1957 Kennedy made his debut when he entered a game in the 8th inning as a pinch runner against the Dodgers. Kennedy did not score and the Dodgers won 5-1 but his appearance completed the full integration of the National League. Ironically the game was exactly 10 years to the day after manager Ben Chapman's Phillies had infamously taunted rookie Jackie Robinson in Brooklyn (the first time the Phillies played the Dodgers after Jackie broke the color line).

On May 3 1957 Kennedy played in his final game for the Phillies.

Document #2--May 6 1957 Philadelphia options Kennedy to the High Point - Thomasville Baseball Club for $100: "In consideration of one hundred ($100) dollars for the above player [Kennedy] contract to be paid by the High Point -- Thomasville club to the Philadelphia club the latter assigns optionally to the High Point -- Thomasville club the contract of player John 1. Kennedy subject to recall on or before October 1 1957 ....

Kennedy hits .270 with 19 homers in 120 games for the High Point team.

Document #3--September 3 1957 Philadelphia recalls the contracts of Ed Keegan John Kennedy James Smith & Fred Van Dusen: "For the cash consideration of five hundred ($500.) dollars for each contract Philadelphia exercises its right of recall to the contracts of players listed above effective at the close of the 1957 High Point- Thomasville season and play offs if any. Players to report/or 1958 Spring Training.

Kennedy never rejoined the Phillies team.

Document #4--December 3 1957 Philadelphia sells Kennedy to the Miami Baseball Company: "Outright for the cash consideration of twenty five hundred ($2500.00) dollars.

Kennedy's major league career is over. He plays his final professional game in the minor leagues in 1961.

It was standard practice at the time of the above transactions to make three copies of each transfer document: one for each affected team and one for the league office. The four documents comprising this group are the originals that were provided to the Phillies. Three (3) have two signatures one each by an executive representing their respective clubs. The fourth is signed by the High Point club executive only (document #3/September 3 1957). None of the executives are recognizable names and were likely assistants to their General Managers with given authorization to sign routine daily documents.

In conclusion John Kennedy played in just five (5) major league games. He finished O-for-2 including one strikeout. In the field he had one assist one error and participated in one double play--all at shortstop. He died in 1998 at the age of 71 spending much of the last part of his life homeless and reputedly living under a bridge. But while "sipping his cup of big league coffee" Kennedy made major league history. And here is the only surviving set of documents that account for his brief but very significant major league career! We include an autographed album page of Kennedy.

Pre-certified by PSA/DNA.