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ramram
11-09-2015, 04:00 PM
I thought I'd throw out a call for some interesting VINTAGE sports related handwritten letters that are out there. We are always looking at snapshots of time through the photo lens but sometimes getting in the head of the athlete, coach or fan can be just as interesting. Show us some of the interesting material that is out there!

I'll start with a 1931 Negro League letter from the powerful Hilldale Club (aka Hilldale Giants, aka Hilldale Daisies). This 1931 team had players such as Martin Dihigo, Biz Mackey, Nip Winters and Judy Johnson. The letter is written by Lloyd Thompson, one of the players from the original Hilldale team, who went on to become one of the team officers. He is writing to veteran player Joe Lewis. The letter is addressed to Lewis at the "Woodmen of Union Hotel" which was an all-black spa in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He is asking Lewis to return and play for their team in 1931. Lewis, at the age of 36, did return and play for Hilldale that year.


April 10, 1931

Mr. Joseph Lewis
c/o Woodmen of Union Hotel
Hot Springs National Park, Ark.

Friend Joe:
Rec. your letter and as Judy [HOFer and Team Captain Judy Johnson] told you we are holding a place open for you. We offer the same salary as last season, but make no deduction for days lost. Since you have talked with Mr. Drew [Team President] I am sure that you are convinced that he is a strict business man and you need have no hesitancy regarding agreements being carried out. In defense of myself and others connected last season I can simply say that we done the best we could under circumstances [not sure what this is in reference to]. About the Boston team I hope you didn't make promises to Dan McClellan [one of the top negro league pitchers of his day and now a manager of a rival team] because he and Mr. Drew had a long conversation and parted with the understanding that we would do nothing to hurt Danny [Dan McClellan]. We will talk it over when you get in. Players have already reported, so will look for you right away. Send air mail letter advising when you are leaving. We start playing Sat. 18th.

Very truly yours
Hilldale Club Inc.
By Lloyd P. Thompson

211282

211283

211284

David Atkatz
11-09-2015, 04:10 PM
Here's one. Written by Highlanders (Yankees) first owner, Frank Farrell, to his shortstop, Kid Elberfeld, discussing his 1905 contract.

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j245/datkatz/farrell_als_1.jpg (http://s82.photobucket.com/user/datkatz/media/farrell_als_1.jpg.html)

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j245/datkatz/farrell_als_2.jpg (http://s82.photobucket.com/user/datkatz/media/farrell_als_2.jpg.html)

David Atkatz
11-09-2015, 04:14 PM
A postcard from the babe while he was in LA filming "Pride of the Yankees."

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j245/datkatz/ruthalspc-1.jpg (http://s82.photobucket.com/user/datkatz/media/ruthalspc-1.jpg.html)

ramram
11-09-2015, 05:29 PM
[QUOTE=David Atkatz;1470645]Here's one. Written by Highlanders (Yankees) first owner, Frank Farrell, to his shortstop, Kid Elberfeld, discussing his 1905 contract.

Great letter David. Any guess as to what "war prices" he is referring to? Is he just referring to competitive prices amongst the league teams? Its not like they were competing against another league at that time.

Rob M.

David Atkatz
11-09-2015, 09:25 PM
The inter-league war, which had ended in 1903.

sb1
11-10-2015, 05:03 PM
The only autograph I guess I still have, a letter from Ollie Pickering to an unknown recipient who must have been quite a player or at least represented himself as such.

seattlerainiers
11-12-2015, 11:13 AM
I'm a big fan of letters/letterhead, and am kind of surprised this post didn't get more responses. Great stuff posted so far, though. Let's fire it up with a few more:

ibuysportsephemera
11-12-2015, 11:20 AM
I've got 4 binders full...I will try to post some this weekend.

Jeff

slidekellyslide
11-12-2015, 03:20 PM
Here is one from Sam Crawford to his old friend Clarence Steen. He talks about umpiring in the PCL.

Runscott
11-13-2015, 10:56 AM
Excerpt from a letter written in 1875 in Abingdon, VA.

smokelessjoe
11-13-2015, 11:35 AM
A few letter:

ksfarmboy
11-17-2015, 02:43 PM
My two favorite letters of fellow Kansans. Quigley umpired a few World Series and I really like the Clarke letter and the most tied game.

sbfinley
11-17-2015, 02:49 PM
Tommy Bridges to the Detroit scout who eventually signed him:


http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff339/sbfinley/Tommy%20Bridges/Letter1.jpg

http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff339/sbfinley/Tommy%20Bridges/letter2.jpg

http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff339/sbfinley/Tommy%20Bridges/Letter3.jpg

RichardSimon
11-18-2015, 04:24 PM
I have shown this one before but never tire of showing it off.

RichardSimon
11-18-2015, 04:33 PM
Fred Snodgrass letter to Lawrence Ritter.

LuckyLuke
11-22-2015, 06:06 PM
Great baseball content...

ramram
11-25-2015, 08:58 AM
1926 letter from the Western League St. Joseph Saints team to prospect C.E. (Pat) Olsen at Texas A&M College regarding contract offer. Olsen went on to play a few years of professional baseball but was more renowned for what he did in the business world. He is in the Texas A&M athletic Hall of Fame and their baseball field is named after him. Hall of Famer Warren Giles is listed as the business manager in the upper right corner.

Rob M.

212860

ibuysportsephemera
12-12-2015, 04:25 AM
Bobby Brown on Prescription Pad

ibuysportsephemera
12-12-2015, 04:28 AM
Joe Adcock on his horse farm stationary

ibuysportsephemera
12-12-2015, 04:30 AM
Ed Wells on his Sinclair Oil stationary

ibuysportsephemera
12-12-2015, 04:31 AM
John Wooden on his stationary

ibuysportsephemera
12-12-2015, 04:32 AM
Mrs. Lou Gehrig on her stationary

ibuysportsephemera
12-12-2015, 04:34 AM
Babe Ruth's daughter Dorothy

ibuysportsephemera
12-12-2015, 04:36 AM
1948 Detroit Tigers signed by John McHale

ibuysportsephemera
12-12-2015, 04:37 AM
Dick Vitale on his stationary

ibuysportsephemera
12-12-2015, 04:38 AM
Pacific Coast League President Roy Jackson

kdixon
12-12-2015, 06:48 AM
Here are a few from and to Zach Wheat.

kdixon
12-12-2015, 07:39 AM
Here are a few more Zach Wheats.

cfhofer
12-28-2015, 01:56 PM
Here is a 1931 handwritten signed note by Eddie Cochems. Cochems played halfback/end for Wisconsin from 1898-1901. After graduation he was the head coach at North Dakota State (1902–1903), Clemson (1905), Saint Louis University (1906–1908), and Maine (1914). During his tenure at St. Louis, he built his offense around the forward pass, which became a legal play in 1906. Cochems' 1906 team compiled an undefeated 11–0 record, led the nation in scoring, and outscored opponents by a combined score of 407 to 11. He is considered by some (including himself) to be the "father of the forward pass".

http://i470.photobucket.com/albums/rr63/cfhofer/IMG_0002.jpg

slidekellyslide
12-28-2015, 04:45 PM
Very cool item. Cochems was also the first to put numbers on his players jerseys. The University of Nebraska played St Louis once and only once. In 1907, they took a very good team 8-1 down to St Louis and got blown out by the Billikens. I'm guessing the Huskers had no idea how to defend against the pass.

esd10
12-28-2015, 07:33 PM
This is a sports memorablia letter from Cooperstown

Bumpus Jones
12-29-2015, 06:48 AM
Here's a letter from Powell Crosley to the Sporting News on his personal Reds stationary. I had been looking for one of these a good while...

slidekellyslide
12-29-2015, 12:08 PM
Wrong place....meant to post in Dec pickups.

ramram
12-29-2015, 01:04 PM
A screen capture of Dan's "Sports Related Letters" before he removed it. :)

216166

Aquifer
12-29-2015, 02:56 PM
Here's one from the Toledo Baseball Club in 1939 about my Uncle Emmett Nelson. In it, Club President Waldo Shank denies having put out some negative information about Emmett. I found this going through his things many years ago and was an interesting piece to me

ramram
12-29-2015, 03:00 PM
Here's one from the Toledo Baseball Club in 1939 about my Uncle Emmett Nelson. In it, Club President Waldo Shank denies having put out some negative information about Emmett. I found this going through his things many years ago and was an interesting piece to me

Very neat....and interesting.

Rob M.