October Legends Closing November 1
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/2/2014
Already hampered by epilepsy and alcoholism, Grover Cleveland Alexander suffered shell shock and was exposed to mustard gas during World War I, yet endured to defy the odds in a spectacular mound career, winning an impressive 373 games. While there is no year listed, this handwritten letter appears to have been composed and signed by the Hall of Famer after his playing days. Composed on stationery from the “Hotel Times Square” in New York City, the letter is dated "Sunday 4-16" and written in pencil (entirely in Alexander’s hand). Impressive simply as correspondence authored and endorsed by Alexander, this piece also answers a fans question with great baseball content, mentions “Matty” and gives a (likely current) lineup of Alexander would run out onto the field. It reads: “Dear Bags (?) Thanks for your letter and for the clipping about Matty. I could not say things like that ever if I knew then. To be true for a team of the finest I would take this lineup for a series. 1st – Johnny Mize 2nd Billy Herman SS Vaughan 3rd Stanley Hack – LF Medwick CF ?? RF Mel Ott Catcher Hartnett P Bill Lee Carl Hubbell if his arm gets all right again. Of course this is only my guess against any one elses. It will soon be ball time again and I hope to see a few of the games. I will be here until July 1st so drop in any time and say Hello. Best of Luck Sincerely…” At the conclusion, Alexander has signed “GC Alexander” in graphite pencil (“8/10” strength). Appears not to be an all time team, but likely a team composed of current (at the time) National League players. Each of the two pages is affixed to period notebook paper stock. Great piece of correspondence from one of baseball’s greatest pitchers of all time, plus a member of the first class inducted into the Hall of Fame. Full LOA from PSA/DNA.