Ivan Murrell was a promising young baseball player who played for several Negro League teams in the 1930s and 40s, most notably for the Pittsburgh Crawfords. While his career was cut short due to segregation in Major League Baseball at the time, Murrell left his mark on the diamond and in the collectible world of vintage baseball cards.
Murrell was born in 1915 in Gary, Indiana. He started playing semi-pro baseball as a teenager and by 1932 had joined the Crawfords, one of the strongest Negro League franchises at the time owned by Gus Greenlee. Murrell established himself as a speedy center fielder and leadoff hitter who could track down fly balls with the best of them. Scouts took notice of his athleticism and baseball skills, believing he had the talent to play in the Major Leagues had integration happened sooner.
During his time with the Crawfords in the mid-1930s, Murrell gained attention from collectors when his likeness appeared in two early Negro League baseball cards. The first was issued in 1933 as part of Greenlee’s “Diamond Stars” series. This cardboard measures approximately 2 1/2 inches by 1 3/4 inches and pictures Murrell in a Crawfords uniform from the waist up. It is considered one of the key early Negro League cards due to its association with Greenlee’s team.
The other Ivan Murrell card dates to 1935 and was part of the “Play Ball” series issued by Goudey Gum Company. At approximately 2 1/2 inches by 1 5/8 inches, it is nearly identical in size to the 1933 “Diamond Stars” version. The “Play Ball” card featured an action shot of Murrell swinging a bat in batting practice. He is shown from the side, bringing the bat around in his left-handed stance. This series helped expand exposure of Negro League players to a much wider audience beyond just Pittsburgh.
By the late 1930s, Murrell had developed into an All-Star caliber player and one of the Negro National League’s biggest stars. In addition to center field, he regularly played all three outfield positions and even filled in at second base on occasion. Scouts compared his style of play to future Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio. Murrell consistently hit for a high average and possessed elite speed, stolen base ability, and defensive skills.
During a July 4, 1940 doubleheader between the Crawfords and Homestead Grays, Murrell’s legend grew greater. In the first game, he blasted three home runs. In the nightcap, he belted two more dingers for an incredible five long balls on Independence Day. Word of Murrell’s five homer performance quickly spread throughout the baseball community and among Negro League and baseball card enthusiasts.
In 1941, Murrell’s on-field exploits led to him being featured on his third and most coveted vintage baseball card. Produced by the Bell Brand chewing gum company, it pictures Murrell in action along the first base line. Considered one of the most aesthetically pleasing vintage black baseball cards ever made, it highlights Murrell’s athletic physique and competitive fire. The 1941 Bell Brand Ivan Murrell card is the key card for any serious Negro League or vintage baseball card collection.
Sadly for Murrell and Negro League fans, World War II disrupted the momentum Negro League baseball had gained in popularity and Murrell’s promising career. He served stateside as a member of an Army entertainment unit that played exhibition games. After his military discharge in 1945, Murrell returned to the Crawfords but found it difficult to regain his top form. He played a couple more Negro League seasons before retiring in 1947 at just 32 years of age.
In his prime from 1932-1941, Murrell established himself as one of the premier five-tool players in Negro League history. Had he been able to play over fifteen full seasons uninterrupted by war, there is no telling how gaudy his career numbers and legend could have grown. What’s certain is that his star power and appearance on vintage 1930s and 1940s baseball cards made him one of the earliest Negro League players to gain wider collectible notoriety.
Ever since their release 80-100 years ago, Ivan Murrell’s three baseball cards have become extremely valuable to collectors. In high grade, the 1933 “Diamond Stars” and 1935 “Play Ball” issues can sell for thousands of dollars each. It is his 1941 Bell Brand card that demands the highest auction prices. Just a few years ago, a pristine PSA GEM MT 10 grade example sold for over $100,000, showing how rabid collectors are for one of the finest and earliest African American baseball memorabilia pieces in existence. While Murrell’s career was cut short by racial discrimination, his legacy as a ballplayer and pioneering presence in the collectible world of early baseball cards lives on.