PITTSBURGH PIRATES: 1933 The players for the Pirates sign their names Signatures: "Ralph Birkofer", "Leon Chagnon", "Adam Comorosky", "Doc Crandall", "Hal Finney", "Larry French", "To my/Little friend/Pete Lear/from Gibby", "Earl Grace", "Bill Harris", "Grover Hartley", "Waite C. Hoyt", "Woody Jensen", "Fred Lindstrom", "Heine Meine", "Leo Nonnenkamp", "Val Picinich", "Tony Piet", "Hal Smith", "Gus Suhr", "Steve Swetonic", "Bill Swift", "Tommy Thevenow" "Harold 'Pie' Traynor", "Floyd Vaughan", "J. Honus Wagner", "Lloyd Waner", "Paul Waner" and "Floyd Young". The way the powerful Pittsburgh Pirates were swinging the bat in 1933, they seemed unbeatable. However, the Pirates finished second in the National League that year to the New York Giants. Pittsburgh out-hit New York .285 to .263 for the season, but the big difference between winning and losing the pennant was the pitching. The Pirates had a good pitching staff, with their top thrower, LARRY FRENCH, placing second in the league in games pitched, with an ERA of 2.72 and a solid 18 wins. And the dependable Heine Meine finished third in winning percentage (.652) and had a win-loss record of 15 and 8. read more...

BABE RUTH The Bambino inscribes a photo to a beloved radio announcer. Photograph inscribed and signed: "To My Pal/Fred Hoey/Babe Ruth". B/w, 6x8. Ink note on verso: "Alan Hoey ... Melrose Mass.". Three full-width folds, mended on verso with clear tape. Other light creases, which do not affect Ruth's fine signature. Accompanied by unsigned photo of Fred Hoey (b/w, 8x10.) Lightly creased. One-fourth-inch tear at top center. Printed caption affixed on verso. Overall, fine condition. GEORGE HERMAN "BABE" RUTH (1895-1948) debuted as a pitcher with the Boston Red Sox, winning 89 games in six years while setting the World Series record for consecutive scoreless innings. In the 1918 World Series, the "Bambino" won two games and Boston took the championship by four games to two. After the 1919 season, Ruth was sold to the New York Yankees. "The Sultan of Swat", converted to the outfield fulltime, led New York to seven American League pennants and four World Series titles. read more...

JACKIE ROBINSON Having just retired from baseball rather than accept a trade from the Dodgers, Robinson signs a typed 1957 letter to a sportswriter, declining to comment for an upcoming Saturday Evening Post article on Dodger skipper Walter Alston because "I couldn't say too many nice things about him as a manager." Typed Letter Signed: "Jackie Robinson", 1 page, 8½x11. New York, N.Y., 1957 May 1. On letterhead of Chock Full o' Nuts to Mr. Mal Mallette, Winston-Salem Journal, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Begins: "Dear Mal". In full: "Frankly, Mal, I would prefer not getting involved in a story on Walt. I have a great deal of respect for him as a man and would much prefer leaving it at that. I am sure you understand why I don't want to get involved as I couldn't say too many nice things about him as a manager. I hope you will keep this confidential and if you do want to see me when you come in, it will be a pleasure. Glad to hear things are working out well for you. My position is really heartening to me and it has lived up to expectation. Sincerely". Lightly creased with folds, not at signature. read more...

CAL RIPKEN, JR. Baseball used during the Hall of Famer's 2,131st consecutive game, voted "Baseball's Most Memorable Moment" Baseball signed: "Cal Ripken Jr." Rawlings Official American League "Gene A. Budig" baseball. On September 6, 1995, at Baltimore's Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Cal Ripken, Jr. surpassed Lou Gehrig's record of 2,130 consecutive games played. The celebration of that milestone achievement, culminating in Ripken's "victory lap" around the stadium, was BASEBALL'S MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT as selected by more than 1.1 million fans in balloting sponsored by MasterCard and announced by Major League Baseball before Game 4 of the 2002 World Series. The milestone by the Baltimore Orioles' shortstop received 282,821 votes. The excitement and emotions generated on that evening also helped ease the pain of the 1994-1995 players' strike and greatly restored the National Pastime's tarnished image in the heart's of many fans. To further commemorate that historic event, Rawlings provided specially designed game balls which were used only during Ripken's record tying and record breaking games. read more...

CAL RIPKEN, JR.'S CONSECUTIVE GAME STREAK A baseball used in his record-breaking game, signed by Ripken and all four umpires and authenticated by an umpire. Baseball Signed (Game Used): "Cal Ripken, Jr." (on the sweet-spot), "Larry Barron #22", "Greg Kosc/#18", "Al Clark/A.L. Ump/#24" and "Dan Morrison/#34". Official Ball American League, Gene A. Budig, PRES., with "Ripken 8 2130 2131 Orioles" printed on the ball, which was used during the September 6, 1995, game in which Ripken (uniform #8) broke Lou Gehrig's consecutive game playing streak of 2,130 games by playing in his 2,131st consecutive game. The baseball has been signed by Ripken and all four umpires of game #2131. Lightly worn and stained, all signatures legible. Accompanied by TLS: "Dan Morrison", American League Umpire #34. New York, 1995 September 6. On official 8½x11 stationery of The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs. In part: "To whom it may concern: The Cal Ripken Jr. #8 commemorative baseball which accompanies this letter was used on the historic night in baseball history. read more...

1950: GEORGE M. WEISS Corporate records of Amsterdam, New York Yankees farm team, including five signed by Weiss. THE COMPLETE YANKEES CORPORATE RECORDS OF THE AMSTERDAM EXHIBITION COMPANY, INC. FROM THE MINUTES OF THEIR FIRST MEETING ON JANUARY 18, 1950 TO THEIR DISSOLUTION MEETING ON MAY 21, 1953. The Amsterdam Exhibition Company, Inc. owned the Class C Minor League team, the Amsterdam Rugmakers of the Canadian-American League. The team was organized in 1938. Because of WWII, no games were played during the years 1943-1945 due to the lack of players. Resuming play in 1946, the New York Yankees bought the team after the 1949 season. From 1950-1951, the Amsterdam Rugmakers were the Yankees farm team in the Canadian-American League. When the league disbanded after the 1951 season, so did the team. The Yankees continued ownership, finally dissolving the corporation in 1953. Included is a stock certificate signed: "George M. Weiss" as President of the Amsterdam Exhibition Co. and "J. Arthur Friedlund" as Secretary, certifying that "New York Yankees, Inc. read more...

BABE RUTH 3½x5½ photo, shown in the outfield in Yankee uniform near the end of his career Photograph inscribed and signed: "To/Harold Myers/Sincerely/Babe Ruth". B/w, 3½x5½. Ink notation (unknown hand) on verso: "Taken at St. Louis June 24, 1933." Few would contest that Babe Ruth (1895-1948) was the greatest baseball player who ever lived. While his record for career home runs (714) has been surpassed by Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds, and his single season mark of 60 by four players, many other records stand unchallenged. One of the new statistics devised to measure baseball value perhaps says it best: Wins Above Replacement (WAR). How many more games did his team win by having the Babe on its roster instead of a replacement-level player? Over his career, his teams won 190 more games with him than they would have won in his absence, and he had the American League's best WAR in 12 seasons: two with the Boston Red Sox (1916, 1919), and 10 with the New York Yankees between 1920 and 1931. His other annual stats follow the same pattern: continuing leadership in on base percentage, slugging percentage, runs scored and runs batted in. read more...