A 1953 Jesse Owens Signed American Tobacco Contract,

endorsing Lucky Strike Cigarettes. Celebrity Statement and Release lists Owens' address of 1133 East 63rd Street, Chicago 37, Ill. Occupation of Athlete, track star and 7 years as a Lucky Strike smoker. Includes an "Athletes and Cigarettes by Jesse Owens, World-Famous Olympic Track Star" testimonial statement:

Athletes usually take longer to get around to smoking than most people. Maybe that's the reason why they're often harder to please once they begin.
Take me. I didn't start smoking until I was 26. Even then I tried a lot of brands before I found the right one. Guess if I'd bought Luckies in the first place I would've saved myself a lot of trouble.
Trying to explain exactly why I like Luckies, I'm afraid, is as ticklish as telling you why I like track more than, say, basketball or football. I just do. it's all a matter of taste you might say. I get a kick out of my cleaning business, public relations, golf and helping underprivileged kids, too. Again, personal preference. By the way, Mr. Owens smokes. And one of my three wonderful girls is old enough to smoke, too. They see to it that there's good taste in my home. And their taste, like mine, runs to Luckies every time. I guess to all of us Luckies taste better.

Beckett Authentication Services pre-certified authentic.

Property from the Collection of Mr. Steven Schwab, Chicago, Illinois