09/15/2026
Not currently for sale. Being held in my inventory for capital appreciation.
This one has a Beckett LOA and Grad Authentication letter of appraisal as well.
I recently acquired an archive of documents once belonging to Ken McCormick, the editor in chief of Doubleday & Company, the entity that published the controversial Ty Cobb book in 1961.
There are some fascinating pieces of correspondence in the archive including multiple letters from Ty Cobb, Al Stump, a letter from General Douglas MacArthur regarding the foreword of the book, letters from Doubleday's legal department, Cobb's trust company, and numerous others. What I also thought is neat about the archive is the retained file copies of the letters McCormick sent in response or that initiated these letters.
These are not the fantasy letters Stump forged and made up at a later date. This was actual correspondence by many parties to/from Ken McCormick.
I'll share these occasionally, and will start with this one as I'm a tax attorney by day and got a kick out of this one.
Cobb was sent a $1,500 check made out to him representing payment of half of his guaranteed proceeds upon signing the deal and he had sent the check back to McCormick along with a dictated letter dated December 29, 1960 (which I also have) asking them to instead make it out to his Cobb Educational Foundation which in his words "will relieve me of any income tax obligations."
On February 25, 1961, Cobb decided to let the original contract stand, and sent the pictured letter to McCormick.
"Dear Mr.McCormick;
It has taken some days to find to my satisfaction about the change of contract so have decided to let it stand as is.
Any change along lines I wanted was strictly my responsibility between government and myself, all your company was concerned with was my services how the recompense was arranged was my obligation & risk. My advice from an expert who happens to handle all tax matters for Bank of America Chain. So we will let the matter ride as is the changing might have caused too much trouble and red tape. I like simple contracts my self and much integrity on both parties. I saw Mr. Woodruff of Coca Cola Co. In Atlanta last Wednesday, turned over to a Mr. Price whose dept. handles matters of publicity etc. They are making a study of the material and to decide on certain chapters on the book as a whole, this action or interest shown by Woodruff in his present position per company also again knowing him as well as long as I have, I feel sure something will develop out this.
What is your idea of a title. I plan to leave here by auto around March 1st or very soon after, for Scottsdale, Arizona and will be Safari Hotel there and for a little better than a month and then to Menlo Park, California.
I expect to have Stump join me at Scottsdale and will do some correcting of chapters, really am happy to feel there will little to correct, could be some deletions or condensing.
You might as well send me the $1500.00 check now and I will run it through to Educational Foundation as we started out this way.
I am, sincerely, Ty Cobb
P S. It was not my intent to fail reporting these earnings to tax people. I would report the amounts, have been doing this for some time with all fees, have a very capable accountant and so far no question, it was to show I did not receive the recompense but was responsible for the donation and I could then get credit as a charge off by tax people of 30% of total amount reducing my personal income tax, have been doing this for several years, hospitals & schools 30% any other charity organization I think 20% off top. T.R.C."
McCormick responded with the letter as pictured in the file copy dated February 28, 1961.
