A Personal Note From Baseball’s Iron Horse

A 1929 New Yorker profile of Lou Gehrig by journalist Niven Busch noted that, "Aside from baseball, [Gehrig’s] principal amusement is fishing." That amusement is on full display in a signed note that sold for $8,260 at Weiss Auctions’ October 25, 2023 Sports Cards and Memorabilia Auction.

The note, made out to the consignor’s aunt, is inside an autograph book that belonged to the consignor’s grandfather, a fishing guide who took Gehrig out on a fishing trip in October 1937 in Cape Vincent, N.Y., just days after Gehrig hit his final World Series home run en route to winning his fifth of six World Series championships with the New York Yankees.

The Note

In his own hand, Gehrig wrote:

A photo of Gehrig, a newspaper clipping, and a stamp that appears to be easily removable are all taped to the page alongside the note.

The 1937 Fishing Trip

The weeklong trip with Gehrig was documented in multiple New York Daily News articles throughout October 1937. It came at a remarkable moment in Gehrig’s career: only days after he hit his final World Series home run, part of the Yankees’ 1937 championship run, the fifth of six World Series titles he would win with the club.

Fred Fletcher’s Signature

The page following the Gehrig note is signed by New York Daily News Outdoors Editor Fred Fletcher, who was also on the October 1937 fishing trip. The back of the Gehrig page carries a written note explaining who Fletcher is, followed by a handwritten note from Fletcher himself on the next page.

Condition

The autograph book is overall in very nice shape, especially considering its age. A photo of Gehrig, a newspaper clipping, and a stamp that appears to be easily removable are taped to the page carrying the Gehrig note. The reverse of that page includes a written note identifying Fred Fletcher, followed by Fletcher’s own handwritten note on the next page.