A Young Admirer Receives Invaluable Hitting Tips from The Greatest Pure Hitter Ever to Play Baseball!Incredible handwritten letter penned by the George Peach himself, one page both sides, 7.25" x 10.25", personal letterhead, May 12, 1953. Feeling a tinge of guilt for misplacing a young boys letter for some time and then discovering it, Cobb takes the time to answer the boy's letter and provide his insight into the fundamentals of how to successfully hit a baseball. Based on the content of the letter, the boy was in love with the long ball (as most kids were and still are today). Being a purist however, Cobb felt motivated to set the young man straight and impose upon him his great knowledge of the sport. Penned entirely in Cobb's trademark green fountain pen ink, this sensational letter reads in full:
Dear Ronald
Suppose you thought by this time I failed appreciate the thought of a boy like you writing me but as you see such was not the case, your letter was recently found, was placed in glove receptacle in car and there it has been now for some time.
Your question its plain you go for home runs, naturally I suppose you hold your bat on end and swing your hardest for you mention your home runs also your average and seem not pleased you, unless a great exception must do one or the other, to hit well, you should 'choke' your bat that gives better control if bat & swing - also better timing and that is important, don't spread your feet as many do today, bend slightly over from waist up, keep your bat back of your body for you have to come to that position any way to start swing. Keep bat off shoulder (if you do), keep elbows out and away from your body that gives freedom of swing whether ball is inside or outside, hit the ball where it comes to you. I mean don't pull to one field, just meet & hit the ball, more will go for safe hits, hits to right or center are just as good as to left, don't put more weight on your back foot whether you hit right or left, stand as evenly on both feet as can, baseball is a game with lots of science not brute force - and home runs, with winning run on base 2nd or 3rd, a hit (single, double or what not) will win the the [sic] game, well figure your percentage of getting a hit or an error on hard hit ball or not, on home runs from your statement you only got one - then with your home run you only hand one chance in the many chances you might have had in all the game you played, to win a game and possibly that one home run did not win a game.
Best of luck, I am,
Sincerely,
Ty Cobb
I like boys but don't sick others on me - my correspondence is really a task.
An incredibly insightful letter that not only provides terrific insight from arguably the greatest hitter ever to take the field, but also a nice look into the kinder side of one of baseball's most notoriously rough personalities. Accomplished entirely in Cobb's hand and accompanied by the original envelope of transmittal, also penned in Cobb's hand. A true investment grade vintage baseball relic! Accompanied by a full Letter of Authenticity from James Spence Authentication (JSA).