This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/11/2018
Because of his frosty relationship with the press, Ted Williams was often perceived as cold and surly. However, his fellow ballplayers knew the real Teddy: funny, thoughtful and helpful. This interesting 1961 letter shows the fun side of Teddy Ballgame. The exact details of the circumstances surrounding this piece have been lost to time, but sometime before the 1961 season began, Williams bet Milwaukee Braves manager Birdie Tebbetts a ten-buck shirt that Braves catcher Bill Bruton would not hit above the .300 mark in 1961. This formal agreement by both parties to the bet is typewritten on Milwaukee Braves letterhead, dated March 23, 1961 and has been signed in brilliant blue pen by both Williams and Tebbetts. Though formal looking, the document refers to “Teddy Williams” and “Birdie Tebbetts,” letting a bit of fun seep through this seemingly formal betting agreement. Come fall, Ted Williams would prove to be the winner of the $10 shirt as Bruton finished 1961 with a .257 average. The page has one vertical fold from mailing. The edges show some bends and nicks and there is overall toning to the Milwaukee letterhead. Both signatures remain bright and clear. A very unique Ted Williams piece that shows a side of the great hitter that only his friends and fellow ballplayers were privy to.
Pre-certified by PSA/DNA.