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As head of the Yankee’s from 1932-1947, Weiss intimately knew the inner workings of the team’s farm system and its minor leaguers. Here he writes to super scout Joe Devine about various personnel issues. First among them in the letter was Babe Dahlgren who had yet to play a game for the Yankees.

Weiss writes that Hall of Fame manager Joe McCarthy, “wants to be protected to bring back Dahlgren if anything happens to (Lou) Gehrig” who was in the midst of a consecutive games streak that would reach 2130 contests.

The letter is dated April 21, 1937, just three months after the Yankees purchased Dahlgren from the Red Sox and two years before Dahlgren would replace Gehrig to snap the streak.

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Weiss who would serve as the Yankee’s general manager from 1947-1960 signed many contracts, documents, and letters, making his signature common.

However, the foreshadowing of Babe Dahlgren serving as eventual replacement for the Iron Horse makes this letter rather remarkable. The letter also mentions pitcher Spud Chandler, the eventual AL MVP in 1943, and Tommy Henrich who would go on to play in five All Star games.

Neither player had appeared in a single Major League game at the time Weiss signed the bottom of this correspondence.

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In the collection is the document that sent Billy Martin to Triple-A after just six big league games. It signed by Hall of Fame executive George Weiss and comes with quite a story.

Yankee GM Weiss never liked Billy Martin, preferring instead players who came up through the Yankee organization. Martin was one of Casey Stengel’s favorites, having played for Stengel with the Oakland Oaks from 1947 and 1948.

When Stengel was brought on to manage the Yanks, he had New York acquire the gritty Martin. After making his debut on April 18, 1950, Martin played six more games before George Weiss decided to send him to the minor leagues the day after Martin’s 22nd birthday.

Stengel called the young Martin into his office to tell him the news. Martin figured he’s play hard and work his way back to the big leagues. Stengel however was angry that Weiss sent down one of his favorite. Casey told Billy that this was a case of Weiss’ personal feelings getting in the way of the betterment of the team.

Martin confronted Weiss, and in something rarely seen in the time, created a scene by yelling at his boss. The pair stayed together, helping the Yankees win four rings from 1951-1956 before Weiss traded him midway though the 1957 season.

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Shown here is the invitation Hall of Fame executive George Weiss sent to Dave Bancroft for the 1959 old timers’ game at Yankee Stadium. It was a grand affair.

Weiss writes, “Each year here at Yankee Stadium we have, we believe, one of the highlight events of the baseball season, the annual Old Timers’ Day.”

It was a highlight indeed with former president Herbert Hoover throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. The contest featured sixty men who played either for or against the Yankees in the 24 previous World Series involving the New York club.

Bancroft, the Hall of Fame shortstop, played in four Fall Classics, three as a member of the New York Giants against the Yankees. Known as “Beauty”, Bancroft was captain for John McGraw‘s Gotham teams in back-to-back World Series-winning seasons of 1921 and 1922.

Such vintage correspondence between two Cooperstown men rarely surface.