Many of the existing signatures for T206 players who died before 1950 came from the collection of Walter Danahy, who very well may have enlisted his daughter Peggy into sending inquiries on the theory that players would be more accommodating of autograph requests made by children or women. I have a few of these letters in my collection, including Hal Chase, Jack Bliss, and Fred Beck. But, my favorite is my most recent pickup -- Claude Ritchey. His penmanship is as beautiful as it is hard to follow, so I have "translated" it below:
Emlenton Pa
Feb 11 - 1943
Dear Miss Danahy
Your card received and will drop you a line to let you know I am still in the land of the living. I am glad to hear you are a base ball crank. It is a great game. I played a long time and had pretty good success. I played nearly 1,700 games [1,672] in the Big League.
You have quite a list of Ball Players I have played a long time with, such as Mr. Phillippe, Leever, Leach, [and] Wagner, who I played 9 years alongside [Ritchie was teammates with Wagner starting in 1898 with Louisville, and ending after the 1906 season in Pittsburgh, playing primarily second base to Wagner's shortstop]. Gibson was a fine fellow and a wonderful catcher. Bransfield was a fine fellow and is from over in your neighborhood at Worcester Mass. You have Beaumont's address at Honey Creek all OK as far as I know. He had a chicken farm there the last I have heard of him. I saw in him in [Pittsbiurgh] in 1925 at an Old Timer's Banquiet and never have heard of him since.
This weather we are having here today don't look much like Base Ball, as it is snowing and blowing a regular blizzard. I am pretty well acquainted with that as I played my last 3 years in the Big League in Boston, Mass [Boston Braves 1907, 1908, 1909]. But things have changed so much in the last 30 years. I don't know if I would know the place. But I guess the commons are still there and always will be. I guess this is enough B.S. for this time as you may not be interested in the Old Base Ball Players.
Hoping you have good luck in your ventures and hope the Old Boys will help you out in answering your request.
I Remain
Your Friend
Claude C. Ritchey
Emlenton
Penna
