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1934 Honus Wagner Signed Handwritten Letter (JSA)
<p>Baseball aficionados know about the legendary Honus Wagner. He was one of the greatest players of all-time, a neck-and-neck rival of Ty Cobb for the title of the best baseball player of their era, and one of the inaugural inductees to the Baseball Hall of Fame. "There ain't much to being a ballplayer, if you're a ballplayer," said Wagner about his craft. Well, Honus Wagner was certainly a ballplayer. He played 21 years of MLB, 18 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He won eight NL batting titles and was a top fielding shortstop and led Pittsburgh to the 1909 World Series Championship, over Ty Cobb's Detroit Tigers. But what about the private Honus Wagner? Here is a personal handwritten letter written when Wagner, now retired as a player, was with the Pirates as a coach. The letter is written on stationery from the New Roslyn Hotels, Los Angeles. It is evidently written to a friend, and it is dated 3-25-34. "Hello Dear old boy," writes Wagner in his salutation. "I received your letter this morning and something has come up that knocks out my plans to visit you at Redlands," continues Wagner. At this time, the Pittsburgh club was in spring training in Southern California, and it was exhibition season. Honus writes, "We play at Riverside Tues. and Wed. of this week, but on Tues. night they are holding a Sports Night Banquet here at L.A. Biltmore Hotel, $2 per person and they have invited the Chicago Cubs, White Sox, Pirates, and the Hollywood Pirates farm club...but drop over to the game 'cause I enjoyed meeting you again. Yours, Honus". Honus Wagner was well-liked by everybody, even opponents, even sometimes by Ty Cobb - off the field. Wagner was evidently writing more than one letter at that time, and since he was using a black fountain pen, the ink from another letter, perhaps stacked with this letter, has partially bled through onto this missive. However, it is not difficult to read the letter in-person. The letter was at one time folded into eighths and the folds remain evident, and a few tiny or very small paper tears are also apparent. The letter measures 8x10", framed at 11x13". <span style="font-size: 13px;">The missive is fascinating, not because it reveals any dark or embarrassing details about a highly respected player, but because it is so down to earth and friendly, showing the human side of an all-time legend.</span></p>
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