I'm looking for a scan or image of the Neal Ball letter

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

I'm looking for a scan or image of the Neal Ball letter where they're asking him about having his image on those little tobacco cards. I thought I had a digital image of it, but can't find it. Surely someone else up here has that. Please post, or email it to me, at your convenience.

Thanks.

Frank W.

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

If you can remember which catalog auction that sold in I can scan the photos from the catalog for you.

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Found it in the 1997 REA catalog

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Posted By: Robert Klevens

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Posted By: Paul

So if they were still getting player permission in February 1909, what does that say about the issue date of the cards? Could they really have been ready by opening day? Or did the cards come out later in the year? Or is Neal Ball one of the players whose card didn't come out until 1910 anyhow?

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Thank you, gentlemen!!

Aside from the abrasive hardheadedness from which a few of us (including me) suffer, this board is THE GREATEST~!!!


Frank

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Posted By: davidcycleback

I think February would give more than enough time before the start of the season. Besides, some card sets were issued later in the season. Topps series were issued over the course of a season.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Neal Ball is in the very first (150) Series of the T206 set.

This 1st issue was available in the Spring/Summer of 1909.

TED Z

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Anyone notice the letter's date and postmark?

Seems to me Mr. Bulger, if he was in such a hurry, could have mailed his January letter sooner than February 19th.

Also, it seems an odd use of the letterhead. I wonder why an Evening World reporter isn't using Evening World stationary.

Finally, the letterhead has:
Greater New York Baseball Club...

The envelope has:
Greater New York Baseball Association...


Thanks again, guys, for posting the letter and envelope.

Frank.

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Posted By: ErlandStevens

What are the chances that the letter and envelope do not actually go together?

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Posted By: T206Collector

Look how "Neal/Neil" was spelled on each.


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Posted By: J Hull

It seems to me like the letter is basically a form letter and was probably the same one Bulger sent to all the NY players he was seeking permissions from. The content is not personalized to Ball, and it looks like the "Dear Neil" was added later by someone using a different typewriter. Maybe Bulger typed that part, maybe a secretary, who knows. The left margin doesn't line up and the ink weight on the letter strikes is different than the body text.

Also, whoever addressed the envelope and whoever signed Bulger's name to the letter weren't the same people. The handwriting is clearly different.

I'm not suggesting the letter and envelope don't go together. I'd bet a secretary or a NY club employee addressed the letter to Ball. And addressed all the other letters to all the other players Bulger was trying to contact.

Jamie

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Posted By: David Atkatz

The legal name of the New York American League franchise was the "Greater New York Baseball Association of the American League."

Here's an original stock certificate:

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

So why would Bulger write using the ball team's letterhead, instead of his own, his newspaper's, or American Lito's???


I think it is because a ball player would open something from his team. He might not have opened something from a writer or a newspaper, and he probably wouldn't have opened something from American Litho. Also, Bulger seems to be a bit of a middle man or independent contractor in the deal. I wonder if American Litho initially tried on their own, and received an underwhelming response, so they resorted to using sportswriters. The writers would have contacted local players, both Bulger and Ball are in New York. Any ideas??