1926 Autograph Letter Signed by Casey Stengel, Baseball Hall of Famer, from his early managerial career; with five letters from others.

“The key to being a good manager is keeping the people who hate me away from those who are still undecided.” —Casey Stengel

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Handwritten letter from Charles Dillon “Casey” Stengel (1890–1975), dating from the very beginning of his managerial career and among the earliest Stengel letters likely to be encountered on the market. At the time, Stengel was manager of the Toledo Mud Hens, his first long-term managing job (1926–1931). He later became one of the most important figures in baseball history, winning more games than any manager except Connie Mack, John McGraw, and Joe McCarthy, and remains the only manager to win five straight World Series titles (1949–1953). Stengel later managed the Brooklyn Dodgers, Boston Braves, and both the New York Yankees and Mets, won eight World Series championships, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966.

The letter, written on Toledo club letterhead and sent from California on February 9, 1926, is addressed to former major league pitcher Harry A. Weaver (1892–1983), who was trying to get back into baseball after an injury. Stengel explains that the team is changing ownership and plans to bring in players from major league clubs, but adds, “…[I] would like to have you play for Stengel,” offering a rare glimpse of him handling player inquiries early in his managing days. Weaver had pitched in the majors from 1915 to 1919 and helped the Chicago Cubs win the National League pennant in 1918. Also included are five other rejection letters Weaver received from minor league teams in Cincinnati, Columbus, Milwaukee, and Chattanooga, plus one from a fellow player in Buffalo, making this a small but telling group that shows how hard it was to land a spot in professional baseball at the time—and how significant Stengel’s personal response was.

Price: $1,250.00