Let's see some old handwritten letters!

[RichardSimon]

Originally Posted by Scott Garner

That's really a nice Cobb letter! Thanks for sharing that.

Am I the only one that has been intigued by the paradox or contrast in reading personal letters written by Cobb vs. the lasting image of him provided by biographers such as Al Stump?

I'm always interested in reading Cobb letters because they are so well written....

Al Stump should be referred to as biographer/forger.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by RichardSimon

Al Stump should be referred to as biographer/forger.

Really? I thought forgery only pertained to documents. Did he actually forge Cobb's signature?

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by runscott

really? I thought forgery only pertained to documents. Did he actually forge cobb's signature?

yes!!

[mr2686]

Am I the only one that has been intigued by the paradox or contrast in reading personal letters written by Cobb vs. the lasting image of him provided by biographers such as Al Stump?

I'm with ya Scott. The Cobb in written letters really doesn't seem to match that of Stump's writing or how he's remembered for his demeanor as a player. Thowing out Stump's garbage, I think you're left with a complex character that could be mean and cantankerious one time, and generous and considerate another time. In other words, human.

[RichardSimon]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Really? I thought forgery only pertained to documents. Did he actually forge Cobb's signature?

Stump was a noted forger, primarily forging handwritten letters which he did sign "Ty Cobb."
If you meant did he sign an index card, baseball card, etc. to create a fake autograph, I am not aware of that happening.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by RichardSimon

Stump was a noted forger, primarily forging handwritten letters which he did sign "Ty Cobb."
If you meant did he sign an index card, baseball card, etc. to create a fake autograph, I am not aware of that happening.

That's incredible. I was aware that he had sold items saying they belonged to Cobb, but didn't know that he actually forged documents. Thanks.

[RichardSimon]

Originally Posted by Runscott

That's incredible. I was aware that he had sold items saying they belonged to Cobb, but didn't know that he actually forged documents. Thanks.

The story is widely known in the hobby.
A well known former dealer was the one who bought them initially from Stump and circulated them through the hobby.
They still turn up occasionally.
Many of them have great content. But Stump was a writer so I guess making up great letters was second nature for him.

[Matt Felix]

Looking through this thread I could not help but think that while other areas of the hobby seem to continue on with minor changes (autographs and game used items) and some with drastic changes (cards and photographs). It seems to me like this area, hand written letters, is probably all but dead.
I cannot imagine Jeter or Pujols writing anything by hand.

Perhaps future collectors will have a tread showing off emails from players?

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by Matt Felix

Looking through this thread I could not help but think that while other areas of the hobby seem to continue on with minor changes (autographs and game used items) and some with drastic changes (cards and photographs). It seems to me like this area, hand written letters, is probably all but dead.
I cannot imagine Jeter or Pujols writing anything by hand.

Perhaps future collectors will have a tread showing off emails from players?

Tweets on Twitter...

[Runscott]

Pardon me, Scott

[scmavl]

Originally Posted by Matt Felix

Looking through this thread I could not help but think that while other areas of the hobby seem to continue on with minor changes (autographs and game used items) and some with drastic changes (cards and photographs). It seems to me like this area, hand written letters, is probably all but dead.
I cannot imagine Jeter or Pujols writing anything by hand.

Perhaps future collectors will have a tread showing off emails from players?

I received an email from Harmon Killebrew a few months before he passed. I had sent his foundation a question about a donation and he responded personally.

[Runscott]

pardon me.