Autograph Help - 1939 Philadelphia Sportswriters program

[D. Bergin]

Hey guys, thought I would make an attempt at a thread in this forum. I'm normally a boxing guy, but do handle other stuff as it comes in combined with boxing and multi-sport collections.

I've got this fantastic 1939 Philly Sportswriters Dinner program, autographed by all the honorees + a few others. Evidence from the rest of the collection indicates it was obtained by Philly Sportswriter John Webster and passed down to a co-worker friend at the newspaper he worked with, as there was a lot of correspondence between Webster and this co-worker/collector friend.

I'm not really concerned about authenticity, though I'm sure you guys will tell me otherwise. The Jimmie Foxx looks like he took a bit more care with his signature then normal, the others look damn good from what I can see.

There are two signatures I can't make out, and to be thorough, would like some help to make sure I'm not overlooking anybody significant.

#1 Tommy Me........? (sitting above the Mickey Cochrane)

#2 Looks like J.A. Rooke? sitting just below the picture of McCarthy's chin

I've included pictures of the front of the program, and the participants list inside the program. I've scanned it thoroughly but nobody jumped out that should match those two sigs, but there's so many names I may be missing somebody obvious.

They may very well just be other newspapermen.

[Duluth Eskimo]

That's a neat program. Looks like Jay Cooke and possibly Jimmy McMahon.

[GrayGhost]

I don't know who they r, but congrats. nice item

[HOFautosChris]

The one above Cochrane stood out to me as Johnny Macnamara at first glance. Then I Scrolled list and saw a John Macnamara as guest. No idea who that is though as far as importance.

[HOFautosChris]

also looks like a jay cooke on the other

[D. Bergin]

Thanks guys. There was a Jay Cooke who was a prominent Philly financier, that had passed away by then. Maybe a son or a grandson.

I have a hard time seeing "Johnny" or "Jimmy". Still looks like "Tommy" to me, but I could be wrong.

[Michael B]

The second one does say Jay Cooke as others pointed out. It was not the famous one who almost singlehandedly financed the Union during the War Between the States. That one died in 1905. This was probably a grandson as the elder Cooke lived in the Philadelphia area.

[Tom Hufford]

I'm pretty sure the signature above Mickey Cochrane is Tommy Richardson, longtime president of the Eastern League. He is listed as one of the participants, and the signature looks like the ones I've seen on contracts and signed Eastern League letters.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by Tom Hufford

I'm pretty sure the signature above Mickey Cochrane is Tommy Richardson, longtime president of the Eastern League. He is listed as one of the participants, and the signature looks like the ones I've seen on contracts and signed Eastern League letters.

Thanks. Makes sense, another Philly guy to. Though he sure has a disjointed looking signature. I saw his name on the guest list and it didn't even register to me.