Lee MacPhail is a forgotten man in the Pine Tar game. As American League President he fielded the appeal of Royals’ General Manager John Schuerholz. Though the umpires were correct in their application of the rule Lee MacPhail overruled the on-field decision. In this letter MacPhail writes about his reasoning and discusses his reluctance to supersede the his umpires’ decision.

Longtime executive Lee MacPhail joined his father in 1998 when he was voted into the Hall of Fame. The pair remains the only father-son duo in Cooperstown. Shown here is a handwritten reflection from the junior MacPhail about his role in the Pine Tar decision from George Brett’s home run. The focus of the letter is the spirit of the rule. He felt the pine tar did not effect the flight of the ball and therefore allowed the homer to stand.

What might be a nice piece of memorabilia in many collections is a sort of afterthought here. On a piece of paper with Brett’s image and a New York Times headline, “Brett Homer Nullified, so Yankees Win” American League President Lee MacPhail handwrites, “I reversed the Pine Tar Ruling” then finishes it off with his signature.

On July 24, 1983, George Brett hit a two-out ninth inning homer off of Hall of Famer Goose Gossage to give the Royals a 5-4 lead. New York manager Billy Martin appealed the play citing a rule that a foreign substance can extend no more than 18 inches from the knob. Home plate umpire Tim McClelland ultimately ruled Brett out and chaos ensued.

Here are McClelland’s thoughts in which he strongly defends the decision of him and his crew. This provides a besides a behind-the-scenes look into one of the most recognizable plays in the history of the decade.

After George Brett’s infamous Pine Tar homer was wiped away by the umpires, John Schuerholz had to file a letter of formal protest as the KC general manager. Shown here is a questionnaire in which Schuerholz writes of the protest letter and the events surrounding the Pine Tar game. Interesting to note that the 9th inning was replayed and that, “Yankee Stadium was virtually empty for an early afternoon, midweek make up…”

Schuerholz himself was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.

Back in the 1970s Major League players actually had roommates on the road. In the collection is a supplemental contract for Jesus Alou to have a room all to himself on the road for the 1974 season.

Of course the money for the room is to come out of Alou’s paycheck. The document is signed by Alou, Charles Finley, and American League president Lee MacPhail.