Amazing WaJo PC discovery

[Hankphenom]

Recently found in the files of the museum in Weiser, Idaho.

[53Browns]

Fantastic!!! I love the baseball reference written on the back as well.

[packs]

WOW! Would make a great brother to my Walter J (not Rose, I wish). Mine was written just a few months earlier and coincidentally, was written on his way to Detroit to play the Tigers after completing a series against Cleveland:

[JeremyW]

Hopefully, they move that jewel from the files to a prominent display.

[Baseball Rarities]

Wow. That is absolutely incredible. A 1908 Rose Co. postcard signed by the man himself.

Hank - Do you know who Edith was?

[T206Collector]

Wonderful! Really beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing. Depending on how you consider postcards, this would be a signed Johnson baseball card that is earlier than my signed T206 card from 1910.

[Hankphenom]

[QUOTE=packs;1764682]WOW! Would make a great brother to my Walter J (not Rose, I wish). Mine was written just a few months earlier and coincidentally, was written on his way to Detroit to play the Tigers after completing a series against Cleveland:

I had yours at one time, in fact had two of the three in the "set." I always thought they were fantastic for being so early, the earliest known Johnson signatures, I would think.

[clydepepper]

AMAZING Hank! Thanks for sharing!

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by Baseball Rarities

Wow. That is absolutely incredible. A signed 1908 Rose Co. postcard signed by the man himself.

Hank - Do you know who Edith was?

According to the museum, hers was a well-known family in Weiser, but have apparently all moved away. They also found a letter to her from Walter not long long before he died in 1946 responding to a letter from her:

(letter from Walter Johnson to Edith Sater Allen)
Germantown, Md.
Jan. 15,1946
Dear Edith:
Was sure good to hear from you. I have wondered lots and
lots of times where and how you were.
I did hear that you lost your husband. Yes, I live here on a
farm about twenty-five miles from D.C.
I guess I am not too much different than when you saw me
last, only of course some older.
I lost my wife sixteen years ago. She left me five children to
raise, and I managed to bring them up such as they are. All
went to college only two finished.
My baby is in college now she is nineteen. All married and
have children except her.
I am a grandfather six times and like it.
Please write and tell me all about yourself.
How many children did you have, and how long have you
been in Tacoma? You know I went to Weiser from Tacoma. I
would give a lot to sit down and talk old times with you.
I hope you are real well and will write me all about yourself.
As ever
Walter

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by T206Collector

Wonderful! Really beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing. Depending on how you consider postcards, this would be a signed Johnson baseball card that is earlier than my signed T206 card from 1910.

I'm always blown away to see that. Wonder if there's a signed portrait out there somewhere?

[prewarsports]

Thats crazy. I live near Weiser and visit there often. I would not have imagined anything like this existed still in the town, but that is a fantastic discovery!

[MVSNYC]

Hank, just fantastic!

The letter referencing his children and grandchildren must be especially touching for you.

I actually didn’t know his wife passed away that early, and he was left to raise 5 children, wow. Incredible man.

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by prewarsports

Thats crazy. I live near Weiser and visit there often. I would not have imagined anything like this existed still in the town, but that is a fantastic discovery!

They have not one, but TWO uniforms he supposedly wore while playing there. Also a bat and a glove, if memory serves me correctly. They keep them in the bank vault!

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by MVSNYC

Hank, just fantastic!

The letter referencing his children and grandchildren must be especially touching for you.

I actually didn’t know his wife passed away that early, and he was left to raise 5 children, wow. Incredible man.

Yes, that was the great tragedy of his life when she died in 1930 at the age of 36. His mother came from Coffeyville to help with the family, bringing along the two young boys of Walter's sister Blanche, who had died in 1928. So that made 7 children Walter had to provide for, including my mother, who is still with us. Of course, I love the personal content. He mentions his six grandchildren, and I was number 7, born in April that year, the last born before he died in December. I hear there's a terrific book about his life, "Walter Johnson: Baseball's Big Train."

[CrackaJackKid]

Hey Hank,

At the museum in Coffeyville,Kansas they have this uniform and hat. Do you know anything about it?

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by CrackaJackKid

Hey Hank,

At the museum in Coffeyville,Kansas they have this uniform and hat. Do you know anything about it?

First I've seen it. I did a book signing at that museum 20 years ago, I don't think they had it then. They had the loving cup, the original photo of his house in Humboldt, those are the things I remember.

[T206Collector]

Originally Posted by Hankphenom

I'm always blown away to see that. Wonder if there's a signed portrait out there somewhere?

That would be a sight to see, for sure.

Didn’t you once tell me you saw a signed T3 at the HOF?

We are all so lucky to have your substantial continued contributions to the legend that is your grandfather!

[CrackaJackKid]

Originally Posted by Hankphenom

First I've seen it. I did a book signing at that museum 20 years ago, I don't think they had it then. They had the loving cup, the original photo of his house in Humboldt, those are the things I remember.

Yes, they told me everything had been donated by the family. There was no literature explaining he significance of the jersey and hat. I took these pictures a little over two years ago. Here is a couple more, one being the house you referred to.

[Baseball Rarities]

It is amazing how many great Walter Johnson postcards have been discovered with Weiser addresses or postmarks.

[sb1]

Kevin,

Since most Rose PC's carry Philadelphia area or east coast postmarks, and this one carries a St. Louis, MO postmark(where the Senators played the St. Louis Brown's on the day of the postmark(sept 23, 1908). Do you think Walter got the pc in St. Louis, or more likely might the Rose Co. have provided him with some?

[Bicem]

Speechless.

[Baseball Rarities]

Originally Posted by sb1

Kevin,

Since most Rose PC's carry Philadelphia area or east coast postmarks, and this one carries a St. Louis, MO postmark(where the Senators played the St. Louis Brown's on the day of the postmark(sept 23, 1908). Do you think Walter got the pc in St. Louis, or more likely might the Rose Co. have provided him with some?

Great question. The Senators had recently come off of a long homestand. I bet that he had bought a few locally there. There would be no reason why St. Louis stores would stock Johnson or any of his Washington teammates since the city was host to two different teams at the time, thus 24 different local players with Rose Co. postcards could have been available to them. The Senators had not played in Philadelphia since July, so that rules that out. I doubt that the Rose Co. would have provided all 192 players in the set with postcards for their own use. While Johnson’s ERA was very impressive this early in his career, he was probably just another rookie with a .500 record on a lousy team at the time, so he would not have been treated much differently from any of the other players.

[ksfarmboy]

That’s amazing Hank. Would love to see those jerseys too!

Robert, did Coffeyville still have the Christy Mathewson and Walter cabinet from Joplin? Last time I was there they had it thumb tacked to a wall.

[CrackaJackKid]

Originally Posted by ksfarmboy

That’s amazing Hank. Would love to see those jerseys too!

Robert, did Coffeyville still have the Christy Mathewson and Walter cabinet from Joplin? Last time I was there they had it thumb tacked to a wall.

I don’t remember seeing that. Pretty sure it would of caught my eye. I live 45 mins from there. Might have to go back sometime soon.

[orly57]

Originally Posted by packs

WOW! Would make a great brother to my Walter J (not Rose, I wish). Mine was written just a few months earlier and coincidentally, was written on his way to Detroit to play the Tigers after completing a series against Cleveland:

Nice packs! What's on the front?

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by T206Collector

That would be a sight to see, for sure.

Didn’t you once tell me you saw a signed T3 at the HOF?

We are all so lucky to have your substantial continued contributions to the legend that is your grandfather!

Thanks, nobody enjoys it more than me! And yes, in 1991 I was at the HOF researching photos for my book when I came across a signed T3 sitting unprotected in one of the folders of Johnson pictures. I walked it over to Pat Kelly and told her that if they didn't pull it from the file it wouldn't be there much longer in any case.

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by ksfarmboy

That’s amazing Hank. Would love to see those jerseys too!

Robert, did Coffeyville still have the Christy Mathewson and Walter cabinet from Joplin? Last time I was there they had it thumb tacked to a wall.

Here are the jerseys on display at my book signing there in 1995.

[ksfarmboy]

Wow those are nice! Thanks for sharing them Hank.

[MVSNYC]

Hank- I’ll check out the book. Thanks again for sharing; so cool.

[packs]

Originally Posted by orly57

Nice packs! What's on the front?

The front is a picture of the boat the team rode into Detroit. My postcard reads:

Hello Johnnie,

We won a game today. We came over to Detroit on this boat. It only cost one and a half million dollars. It's sure a fine boat.

Walter J

[Fred]

Hank, is the letter content indicated below (My baby is in college now she is nineteen) in reference to your mom?

Originally Posted by Hankphenom

According to the museum, hers was a well-known family in Weiser, but have apparently all moved away. They also found a letter to her from Walter not long long before he died in 1946 responding to a letter from her:

(letter from Walter Johnson to Edith Sater Allen)
Germantown, Md.
Jan. 15,1946
Dear Edith:
Was sure good to hear from you. I have wondered lots and
lots of times where and how you were.
I did hear that you lost your husband. Yes, I live here on a
farm about twenty-five miles from D.C.
I guess I am not too much different than when you saw me
last, only of course some older.
I lost my wife sixteen years ago. She left me five children to
raise, and I managed to bring them up such as they are. All
went to college only two finished.
My baby is in college now she is nineteen. All married and
have children except her.
I am a grandfather six times and like it.
Please write and tell me all about yourself.
How many children did you have, and how long have you
been in Tacoma? You know I went to Weiser from Tacoma. I
would give a lot to sit down and talk old times with you.
I hope you are real well and will write me all about yourself.
As ever
Walter

[Jobu]

Thanks for posting this Hank!

I stirred a lot of this up when I contacted Hank and the kind folks at the museum to see if they had any good pictures of the Weiser team's uniforms or the player's faces while I researched one of my RPPCs (below). The uniforms have subtle differences but are really close to the uniform shown in the famous Weiser RPPC of WaJo (not mine) and in one of the pictures of the Weiser team in Hank's book (not mine). There are subtle differences, but looking at the pictures below and the uniforms at the museum that Hank posted, it seems that the team changed uniforms frequently in their six (?) years of existence. The Weiser team was created in 1906 and the stamp box ids my RPPC as being from 1908-1910, so it is in the right window. Obviously no WaJo in the picture otherwise it would be easy.

Anyway, back to the Rose PC. When I called last fall the nice woman to whom I spoke said that there were two letters that had recently been donated to the museum that are from the grandchildren of the woman that was Walter's sweetheart when he lived in Weiser. She said he sent them to her not long after he moved away. I had no idea one was a Rose PC (!!), though I have been anxiously waiting to see them.

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by Fred

Hank, is the letter content indicated below (My baby is in college now she is nineteen) in reference to your mom?

No, my aunt Barbara, who was the youngest. Mom was 22 at the time, married to my Dad, who was in the Army Air Corps, and had had my sister and was very pregnant with me. This is my Mom.

[Bpm0014]

Yes, that was the great tragedy of his life when she died in 1930 at the age of 36.

Type I of Walter Johnson at the funeral of his wife. An extremely poignant photo and one of my favorites in my collection.

[Bpm0014]

Thanks for enlarging it Leon!

[calvindog]

Damn, that is some picture.

[Hankphenom]

I've seen a number of photos of the group gathered at the grave site, but never this one with handkerchiefs out, the grief is palpable. My mother is at the extreme right, standing behind her grandfather, E.E. Roberts, Hazel Johnson's father. The boy in front is my uncle Ed Johnson, and Walter's mother, Minnie, has her hand on his shoulder.

[irv]

Originally Posted by Hankphenom

I've seen a number of photos of the group gathered at the grave site, but never this one with handkerchiefs out, the grief is palpable. My mother is at the extreme right, standing behind her grandfather, E.E. Roberts, Hazel Johnson's father. The boy in front is my uncle Ed Johnson, and Walter's mother, Minnie, has her hand on his shoulder.

Wow, all this is just incredible.

Thanks for sharing.

[Buythatcard]

I have never seen that grave site photo. Very sad.

Which one was Walter in the photo?

[Baseball Rarities]

Originally Posted by Buythatcard

Which one was Walter in the photo?

He has both of his hands at his face with a handkerchief.

[Bpm0014]

Hank although the photo is a favorite of mine, if it would mean anything to you it’s yours. If you would like it (for free) just let me know.

Brendan

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by Bpm0014

Hank although the photo is a favorite of mine, if it would mean anything to you it’s yours. If you would like it (for free) just let me know.

Brendan

Thanks, Brendan, your generous offer is much appreciated but having seen it is enough for me. Thanks for posting it.

[Bpm0014]

No problem at all!

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Bpm0014

Hank although the photo is a favorite of mine, if it would mean anything to you it’s yours. If you would like it (for free) just let me know.

Brendan

Classy move. Commendable!!
.

[T206Collector]

Originally Posted by Leon

Classy move. Commendable!!
.

+1

[h2oya311]

That photo is so powerful. I actually shed a tear on the bus ride in this morning. Very nice gesture Brendan and great response Hank.