Spring 2016 - Item detail
1912 Connie Mack Signed Letter on Philadelphia A's Letterhead
- Sold For:
- $960
- Year:
- 1912
- Auction:
- 2016 Spring
- Lot #:
- 1219
- Category:
- Autographed Baseballs/Flats/Photos
One-page typed letter, dated June 21, 1912, on official "American Base Ball Club of Philadelphia" stationery, signed by Hall of Fame manager Connie Mack. In his letter, Mack writes to a Mr. George F. Bagby, M.D., of Richmond, Virginia, regarding the possibility of the A's playing in Richmond in October. In full:
My Dear Doctor:- Yours of June 13th., received and pleased to hear from you. Also pleased to know that you still remembering us. We of course hope to be able to win out in The American League. At the present time we are quite a few games behind the leader. In case we should be fortunate enough to win out this year, if we can possibly arrange to play in your city Next October, will be pleased to do so. Thanking you and our many Richmond Friends for their kind feelings towards The Athletics, I remain, Yours truly, Connie Mack [signed].
Mack's signature has been scripted in black fountain pen and grades "9/10." This is not only a very early Mack letter, but an extremely desirable example as well because of the ornate letterhead, which features a large photo of Shibe Park. Mack's Athletics, which featured the legendary "$100,000 Infield" of McInnis, Collins, Barry, and Baker, were the two-time defending World Champions entering the 1912 season, but, as stated by Mack here, the team was struggling to catch the Boston Red Sox in the standings. The A's lost to Washington 8-2 on June 21, 1912, at Shibe Park, with the loss dropping them five games behind the first-place Red Sox. Unfortunately, for Mack, Boston eventually ran away with the pennant, finishing fourteen games ahead of second-place Washington. The A's finished in third place, fifteen games out. The letter (8.5 x 11 inches), which is featured in Baseball's Golden Half-Century by Ken Willey (Glenleaf Publishing, 2007), displays one horizontal and two vertical mailing folds and a few minor surface wrinkles. In Excellent condition overall. Auction LOA from James Spence/JSA. Reserve $300. Estimate $500+.
My Dear Doctor:- Yours of June 13th., received and pleased to hear from you. Also pleased to know that you still remembering us. We of course hope to be able to win out in The American League. At the present time we are quite a few games behind the leader. In case we should be fortunate enough to win out this year, if we can possibly arrange to play in your city Next October, will be pleased to do so. Thanking you and our many Richmond Friends for their kind feelings towards The Athletics, I remain, Yours truly, Connie Mack [signed].
Mack's signature has been scripted in black fountain pen and grades "9/10." This is not only a very early Mack letter, but an extremely desirable example as well because of the ornate letterhead, which features a large photo of Shibe Park. Mack's Athletics, which featured the legendary "$100,000 Infield" of McInnis, Collins, Barry, and Baker, were the two-time defending World Champions entering the 1912 season, but, as stated by Mack here, the team was struggling to catch the Boston Red Sox in the standings. The A's lost to Washington 8-2 on June 21, 1912, at Shibe Park, with the loss dropping them five games behind the first-place Red Sox. Unfortunately, for Mack, Boston eventually ran away with the pennant, finishing fourteen games ahead of second-place Washington. The A's finished in third place, fifteen games out. The letter (8.5 x 11 inches), which is featured in Baseball's Golden Half-Century by Ken Willey (Glenleaf Publishing, 2007), displays one horizontal and two vertical mailing folds and a few minor surface wrinkles. In Excellent condition overall. Auction LOA from James Spence/JSA. Reserve $300. Estimate $500+.