A special pick-up for me last week on eBay at a great price. Rooks is amongst the tougher, if not the toughest, International Association Detroit card. Only one of Rooks five poses are known with Detroit (his other cards being 1888 Chicago Maroon cards). This card goes well with my Wheelock OJ and a great letter from manager Robert Leadley to Robert Allen in which both Wheelock and Rooks are mentioned while Manager Leadley apologizes for not being able to sign Robert Allen.
This letter is one of several I was able to purchase from Rhys Yeakley awhile back, the contents follow:
Quote:
Page 1
R G Allen Esq
Dear Sir: Yours rec’d. Im sorry you feel as you do, Circumstances arose that really prevented my signing you & keep within the limit. I had introduced a Resolution to permit Detroit & Toledo to carry 2 or 3 extra men thus violating the limit for a month or so, but it was not adopted, I think however it will be at the March meeting. I fully intended calling to see you & signing you but when our Directors got thinking it over thought I had better not, as we had Wheelock for Short & had secured Rooks for Center and needed Batteries that might come high. Of your ability as a Ball Player I have no doubt you would be plenty strong enough for our nine & personally I wish I had you. Your reputation as a Gentleman I do not question. Do me the Kindness to believe Im not one of those Managers who have no regard for their word: Later on I may be sorry I did
Page 2
not sign you in place of some I did sign, but that is one of the uncertainties of Base Ball. The Salary Limit we fought against & it was adopted against our wishes and really does us an injustice as we have had a League Club here and must get a good nine, and the first year a club needs to carry more men than after they are thoroughly organized, other Clubs in this League had 14 men under Reserve & knew exactly what they had, while we had no one. As I say I wish I had you, but was oblige’d to do as I have done.
Yours Truly
Robt H Leadley Mgr
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Goodwin & Co. took two different approaches in updating the cards of Wheelock and Rooks. For Wheelock they simply removed Boston from his 1887 photo while Rooks received a big "DETROITS" (plural) over the top of Chicago (1888 Chicago Maroon photo).
05-10-2010, 04:28 PM
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