The HOF could always use more Negro League representation. This scorecard might fit in nicely with an exhibit sometime. I have only seen a handful offered for sale. This one features HOF legend Buck Leonard and a young, 20 year old named Campanella:

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Oh, I love that Jeter bat...

Here is my contribution: A Big Papi ALCS gamer dating from 2003 to 2008. Since it is specific to the ALCS, there is a reasonable chance that this one was in the bat rack during the legendary curse breaking 2004 moment.

I always thought the grandfather of our hobby, Jefferson Burdick, and his letters, catalogs, etc... should be there. Here is one of around 20 or so...

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How about the document that traded Fergie Jenkins from the Cubs to the Phillies...
 

Fergie had a couple of stories to tell when he saw this. He was at a Single-A Lancaster Jethawks game when we sat in the press box discussed the trade. Fifty years after the fact he was still a bit disenchanted with the Cubs' reasoning for making the deal.

A longer description of the document and other Jenkins autographs can be found by clicking here.

The website is CooperstownExpert.com and has a page for every Hall of Famer and a couple hundred other people important to the game. Hope you enjoy it.

Original telegram announcing Babe Ruth's demise...
 

With all the Babe Ruth meant to the game, it's hard to imagine how it must've felt for baseball fans to learn of his demise. Here's an original telegram to the editor of the Chicago Tribune announcing Babe's death.

This telegram dated August 16, 1948 states, “Baseball King George Herman Ruth passed away today after a lengthy illness. Death cause in next telegraph following A.P. press release.” Only 53 years old at the time of his death, Babe Ruth was one of the most recognizable men on the planet.

The telegram can be seen on CooperstownExpert.com. There's plenty of other Cooperstown-worthy pieces there. On Babe's page there are 5 letters surrounding the Called Shot of the 1932 World Series from men who were there and played in the game.

Sliding Billy Hamilton's lifetime passes
 

The original Lifetime Passes are the only of the lifetime variety that were paper. Later incarnations of the passes were issued on solid gold, sterling silver, metal, and leather.

One of only three Major League players to average more than one run per game played, Billy Hamilton crossed the plate at least 100 times in eleven seasons. His 197 runs scored in 1894 remains the Major League record. A two-time batting champ, Hamilton hit a career high .403 in 1894.

Hamilton’s name can still be found among baseball’s all-time career leader board in stolen bases (3rd), on-base percentage (4th), and batting average (7th).

These passes can be seen on CooperstownExpert.com on Billy Hamilton's page.

Important piece from streaks of Gehrig and Everett Scott
 

Cal Ripken holds the all-time record for consecutive games played with 2,632. Second on the list is Lou Gehrig with 2,130; third is Everett Scott with 1,307. Pee Wee Wanninger is tied to both men directly behind Ripken.

In the 1925 season a 32-year old Scott was slipping at shortstop and at the plate. When Yankee manager Miller Huggins saw fit to bench Scott and end the streak, he turned to the rookie Wanninger. On May 5th, 1925 Wanninger started in place of Scott to end what is still the third longest run in MLB history.

Four weeks later Huggins called on 22-year old Lou Gehrig to pinch hit for Wanninger in what would be the start of Gehrig’s own streak.

Here is Wanninger’s player’s contract for the 1925 season in which he helped stop and start two of baseball’s most prolific consecutive games streaks. The front page is also signed by Hall of Fame executive Ban Johnson.

This is one of my favorite pieces although it's not as flashy as a Ruth or Gehrig autograph, the link to the game's history makes it pretty neat. It can be seen on Pee Wee Wanninger's page on CooperstownExpert.com.

Original document trading two Hall of Famers - Orlando Cepeda and Joe Torre
 

Ok...hope I'm not boring anyone.

This official document dated March 17, 1969 formalizes the trade of Orlando Cepeda for Joe Torre. In the St. Patrick’s Day swap, the Braves gained Cepeda who two years earlier was the National League’s Most Valuable Player. The Cardinals in return gained Torre who two years later would win an MVP of his own. The bottom of the document is signed by Hall of Fame candidate, GM Bing Devine.

This document and the other pieces in previous posts are all on CooperstownExpert.com. Have to tell you, sometimes I get fired up about collecting...and every so often I have a moment of clarity and think about getting rid of everything and paying off the bills.

Thanks for looking!

Last one, I promise
 

Here are a couple of documents calling up players to make their big league debut. On the left is that of Jim Rice dated the day of his debut. The other one is for Dick Allen who had to wait eight more days past the day the document was executed. Both are featured on the website CooperstownExpert.com. If you click on the player names, it'll take you directly to their pages on the site.