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Pittsburgh Pirates
7 Lots
 Lot 65. 10 Rare, Uncataloged 1972 Post-Gazette Pittsburgh “Pirates ’72 Album” Cards. A similar 1973 set from the newspaper is cataloged. These “cards,” as issued, vary in size from about 5 ¼” x 8 ¾” to 5 ¼” x 9 ¾”. Each has a player photo portrait, biographical information, 1972 and career statistics and a thick black border. The set apparently consists of 26. This group includes Alley (unnumbered) and #7 Davalillo, 9 Giusti, 13 Bob Johnson, 15 May, 17 Miller, 22 Sands, 23 Sanguillen, 24 Stennett and 25 Stargell. The lower left corner of the Giusti card has a large chip. The other range from g-vg to ex-m and average ex. Rare Pirates newspaper issue! They seldom turn up, and this group, which include Stargell, is the third largest group we have seen.
Winning Bid $185.
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 Lot 255. Letters Signed by Fred Haney and Pirates Executives – Benswanger and the Galbreaths. Typed letters, some with significant baseball content, to “Pittsburgh Press” sports editor Chet Smith. In each case, the writer signed his first name only. In a Oct. 6, 1955 letter on Pirates stationery, Haney comments on his firing by the team: “Naturally I am sorry to leave, more because we have made some wonderful friends here, but that is part of the game. A 1955 letter from John W. Galbreath and a 1971 letter by Daniel M. Galbreath (“Dan”) also is on Pittsburgh letterhead. The Galbreath signature is secretarial. In an interesting 1954 letter, Frank McKinney of Fidelity Trust Co. of Indianapolis explains why he sold his interest in the Pirates. McKinney writes that his “reasons were several – none of which would be of interest, and certainly there is no deep, dark secret involved.” He goes on to explain that he needed to sell his shares before pursuing a possible interest in another club. Finally, a 1960 note on his personal stationery is signed by Bill Benswanger, Pirates president 1932-46. The first-name signatures are mint 9s and gem mint 10s. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $30.
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 Lot 256. Historically Interesting 1950 Letter Concerning Black Sports Writers in Pittsburgh. The April 25 letter is from William G. Nunn (Sr.), managing editor of the “Pitttsburgh Courier,” then one of the nation’s most influential black publications, to Chet Smith as president of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association. In the letter, he addresses two issues, the ban on sports writers from weekly newspapers from the press box at Forbes Field and “the admission of qualified Negro sports writers” to the Baseball Writers’ Association. Nunn pointed out that the “Courier” had a circulation of more than 280,000. His signature at the conclusion of the letter is a 10. Nunn was the father of Bill Nunn, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ superscout who was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame last year. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $20.
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 Lot 273. 4 Store Model Bats: Roberto Clemente, Dave Parker, Tony Oliva and Ray Fosse. The Clemente bat is a 29” H&B LL396 “Leaguer” model, ex. The Parker Louisville Slugger bat is a 1980-83 O16 “Flame Tempered” 34” model, nm-m. The other endorsed bats, both from Hillerich & Bradsby, are by Tony Oliva, 29” Little League model, vg, and Ray Fosse, 33”, “Flame Tempered,” cracked handle, vg-ex. Writing on the Fosse bat suggests that it was used in a 1973 game, but there is no provenance or anything else to support this notion.
Winning Bid $25.
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