Newark International Baseball Club - New York Yankees Farm Club - Signed by Paul Block - RARE 1931

Beautifully engraved Certificate from the Newark International Baseball Club issued in 1931. This historic document was printed by the Broun Green Company of New York and has an ornate border around it with a underprint of clouds and sun rays. This is the first time we have seen an issued certificate from this company. This item has the signatures of the Company’s President and Secretary and is over 74 years old. The certificate was issued to and signed on the verso by Paul Block.

In Pittsburgh, Paul Block (1877-1941) an immigrant from east Prussia owned the Pittsburgh Evening Sun, the Pittsburgh Morning Post, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, as well as the Toledo Times and Toledo Blade. His sons, William and Paul, also later added television and cable stations to their empire. Paul Block was also partner of William Randolph Hearst.

The Newark Bears:

The Newark Indians became the Newark Bears after New York Yankees owner Colonel Jacob Ruppert bought the team in 1931. The team became the Yanks' triple-A affiliate. A number of great players came up through the Yankees' system by way of Newark. The great Yogi Berra himself played for the Bears in 1946, when he smashed 15 home runs, hit .314, and drove home 59 runs. The 1937 Bears' team was recently named the greatest minor league team ever by Baseball America, after winning the International League pennant by 25 ˝ games and winning the 1937 Little World Series.

1902 Newark Indians baseball team is formed. They are the first entry to the Class-AAA International League

1912 Charlie Ebbetts, Sr., owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, buys the Indians.

1913 Indians win the International League pennant

1916 The Indians win the International League pennant.

1926 Davids Stadium opens in Newark. It later becomes Ruppert Stadium.

1931 Colonel Jacob Ruppert, New York Yankees owner, buys the Newark Bears

1932 The Bears win the pennant in a runaway and win the Little World Series against the American Association champs.

1937 The Bears win the pennant by 25 1/2 games and take the Little World Series with a team that would eventually be touted as the greatest minor league club ever.

1938 Bears again win the pennant by 18 games, but lose in the Little World Series.

1949 After the season, the Bears are sold to the Cubs and move to Springfield, Mass.

1967 Ruppert Stadium is demolished.