With six Hall of Famers in the lineup, and three more in the starting rotation, it would been surprising if the New York Yankees didn’t win the 1932 World Series. A couple of the Hall of Famers from that super-talented squad connected a few year later with this Earle Combs signed handwritten letter, addressed to Joe Sewell. Teammates with the Yankees from 1931-1933, the two remained friends after hanging it up as players. Dated 9/12/36, Combs three-page letter was penned during his first season as a Yankees coach.



The Yankees were in Detroit from 9/10-9/12 to face the Tigers and all three pages of this letter are written on 6" x 9" sheets of Book-Cadillac Hotel letterhead. With deference to original period compacting folds, the letterhead remains crisp, clean, and fully intact. Applied by means of a fountain pen, Combs writing is neat throughout, with just one word per page affected by minor ink migration. Combs concludes this correspondence with an (“8.5”) strength given name only signature. Affixed to the bottom left corner of the letter's third page is a photo clipping of Combs, with a full name signature ("8") and the original mailing envelope with Sewell’s Alabama address, and a 9/12/36 Detroit postmark stamp.



Filled with prominent player references and talk of the 1936 World Series, the letter’s content is amazing. The Yankees finished with a 102-51 record in 1936, 19-1/2 games in front of the second-place Tigers. Combs begins his writing with “Dear Joe, We have it in the “Bag” so we are just waiting now for bigger game,” meaning the Yankees had clinched the AL pennant and were looking forward to the World Series. He goes on to cite “Looks like the Giants are going to squeeze in," and “Hubbell will be the main man." The next player named is “Lou [Gehrig] has been in a terrible slump the last month. Maybe he will come out of it by series time," which he did, batting .292, with two homers and seven RBI against the Giants in the 1936 Fall Classic. Following is a passage about reserving World Series tickets for Sewell, and also securing a hotel.



The Yankees back-up catcher is mentioned next with “The best joke on the club now is our [Joe] Glenn. While in Boston this last trip he wanted to ask Moe Berg what fraternity he belonged to when he was going to college, and instead he asked him what syndicate he belonged to." The final page starts with “Hadley was pitching one day and Joe [Glenn] called time to have a talk with him. He Told Bump to not look at the plate but to throw for his glove, that he was holding it over the middle of the outside corner," followed by “[coach Art] Fletcher says it is better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool then to open it and prove it." The final paragraph reads “You know what a rush on there is for tickets so let me hear from you as soon as possible. Any thing I can do for you don’t hesitate to call on me. Am counting on you. Sincerely, Earle."



Auction LOA from James Spence/JSA. Opening Bid $200.