Rare Franklin D. Roosevelt Single Signed Baseball (US President 1933-45)
Rare Franklin D. Roosevelt Single Signed Baseball (US President 1933-45)
Rare Franklin D. Roosevelt Single Signed Baseball (US President 1933-45)
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Rare Franklin D. Roosevelt Single Signed Baseball (US President 1933-45)

Details
Rare Franklin D. Roosevelt Single Signed Baseball (US President 1933-45)
Highly desirable and rarely offered US Presidential signed baseball from one of the most beloved and significant leaders in the history of the country. Moderately toned and lightly clear coated Wm. Harridge AL baseball, which has been signed across the sweet spot in black fountain pen by President Roosevelt. Signature presents very nicely with some minor fading to the "D." and 'R" quite possibly from original ink flow. Overall autograph ranges from 5-8 out of 10 with attractive even presentation. The ball itself has some surface flaking to a few areas most notably a side panel with 1 ½" abrasion to clear coating surface. This particular baseball originated from the collection of former Washington Senators player Walter Stewart.
President Roosevelt presided over the country during one of the most harrowing periods in world history gaining popularity abroad perhaps greater than any other US leader before or since. Roosevelt was a great fan of the game and most notably penned one of the most significant sports related letters in US history on January 15, 1942, "The Green Light Letter". MLB Commissioner Kennesaw M. Landis had asked the President as to whether baseball should continue, given the weight of the US entry into WWII. Roosevelt swiftly replied with the Green Light Letter which read, in part, "I honestly feel that it would be best for the country to keep baseball going. There will be fewer people unemployed and everybody will work longer hours and harder than ever before.....And that means that they ought to have a chance for recreation and for taking their minds off their work even more than before....Here is another way of looking at it - if 300 teams use 5,000 or 6,000 players, these players are a definite recreational asset to at least 20,000,000 of the fellow citizens - and that in my judgment is thoroughly worthwhile.” Baseball, and the country, continued and prevailed. Incredible rarity with equal historic import. Includes full LOAs from PSA/DNA and JSA: Ball: VG-EX, Signature: Range VG/EX-EX/MT
Provenance
Walter Stewart.

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Elizabeth Seigel
Elizabeth Seigel Vice President, Specialist, Head of Private and Iconic Collections

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