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Sam Crawford’s 1899 debut was unusual to say the least. Playing for the Cincinnati Reds, the 19-year old’s first day in the big leagues featured a doubleheader against two different teams.

He played four years in the Queen City leading the league in homers in 1901 and triples in 1902. Before the ’03 season Crawford jumped to the Tigers. In Detroit he found lasting fame.

From 1905-1917 Crawford manned right field while Ty Cobb roamed in center. In 1912 left fielder Bobby Veach joined the Motor City outfield. Together the three of them formed one of the greatest outfields in baseball history.

Crawford posted double-digit triple numbers in each of the 17 seasons in which he played at least 100 games. The league leader in three-base hits six times, Crawford retired with 309 triples to set the still-standing all-time record.

A solid run-producer, Crawford drove in at least 100 runs six times to finish with 1,523 career runs batted in. He also tallied 458 triples. Record keeping at the time was largely incomplete. Crawford left the game with 2,961 hits, unaware of his proximity to the 3,000 mark.

Crawford’s counting numbers, are augmented by his 144 OPS+ and his 75.3 WAR. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1957.

Longtime autograph collector Jim Taylor received correspondence from many of the game’s greatest stars. His son Jeff had boundless enthusiasm for his father’s collection and spurred others to collect as well.

Shown here is an envelope addressed to Jim Taylor of La Canada, California with a 1960 postmark. Sam Crawford has neatly signed his name in the return address portion.

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After retiring from baseball Sam Crawford watched the game and kept abreast on its evolution. He willingly corresponded with fans who sought his advice and autograph.

In page one of this letter the Hall of Fame right fielder writes about what it takes to make it as a pitcher.

“Control is the first thing. All great pitchers had control and were continually working at it…When he can curve the ball over at 3-2 then he will be a pitcher.”

Crawford goes on to write about the recently concluded 1960 Fall Classic in which Bill Mazeroski walked off Casey Stengel’s Yankees. “As to the World Series of course I was rooting for Casey and am sure he had the best team. Pretty even when one pitch decides it.”

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One of four children born to Scottish immigrants, Sam Crawford’s early years were spent in Wahoo, Nebraska. The son of a Civil War veteran, Crawford left public education in fifth grade to work as barber’s apprentice.

In his teens he played for Wahoo’s local team. Word of his baseball talent soon spread. By 19 he was a big leaguer. Teammates tagged him with the nickname “Wahoo” as a nod to his birthplace. Crawford himself used the moniker.

At the bottom of the second page shown here, Crawford signs “Mary and Wahoo” before adding a post script. “Mary says you will know how I feel when the other league wins the series.”

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The correspondence from Sam Crawford on this page are all to Jim Taylor of La Canada, California. Crawford kept in touch with many of the fans who wrote to him.

In the Taylors’ case, Crawford visited them when he was in town and warmly received them when the family traveled to him.

On the back of this postcard, Sam Crawford again writes to friend and autograph collector Jim Taylor. “Dear friends, a card to send greetings. Very fine weather here and no rain in sight. We hope the Taylor’s are all O.K. With all good wishes, Mary and Wahoo.”

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Sam Crawford had a no-doubt Hall of Fame career. His 2,935 hits, 458 doubles, 309 triples, 4,328 total bases, and .309 lifetime average make it easy to see.

Despite his gaudy statistics, Crawford was often overshadowed by his Tiger teammate Ty Cobb. The pair roamed the Detroit outfield together from 1905-1917, spanning Crawford’s entire stay in the Motor City.

Crawford was outstanding during that time, leading the league in triples 5 times, RBI 3 times, and runs, double, and total bases once each. His OPS+ with the Tigers was 145.

Cobb was even better. In the 13 years with Crawford as his teammate, Cobb slashed .370/.434/.515 with a 185 OPS+. The Georgia Peach topped the .400 mark twice and earned 10 of his 12 batting titles playing alongside Crawford.

Shown here is a personal check made out by Cobb from 1945. His signature adorns the bottom.

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Despite Bobby Veach outstanding offensive production, he was often overshadowed by his own teammates. The left fielder played his first six big league campaigns in the Detroit outfield alongside Hall of Famers Cobb and Sam Crawford.

Veach was a star in his own right. A career .310 hitter with a .370 on-base percentage, he tallied more than 2,000 hits in his 14-year career. From 1915-1922 Veach was at his best. His 852 RBI was tops in the big leagues, outpacing the 2nd and 3rd-place men Ty Cobb (723) and Babe Ruth (635). Veach’s 450 extra-base hits put him #1 on the MLB list during the run as well. Ruth (445) and Tris Speaker (444) were the next men in line behind Veach.

During that Deadball Era run from 1912-1917, Veach topped the .300 mark three times, led the league in runs batted in twice, and doubles once. He hit .299 with a .369 on-base percentage and an OPS+ of 132.

The same 6 seasons Crawford hit .305 with a .367 on-base mark and a 141 OPS+. Meanwhile The Georgia Peach was otherworldly. Cobb earned five batting crowns in the six seasons. His OPS+ was 193 while manning the Detroit outfield with Veach and Crawford. Cobb’s batting average was a stellar .382 while his on-base percentage was .462.

Shown here is a sheet signed in 1923 by seven Detroit Tigers, including Veach. By virtue of his 1945 passing, Veach’s signature remains quite difficult to find. Other notable players on the page include second baseman Del Pratt, Hall of Fame left fielder Heinie Manush, Bob Fothergill, owner of a .325 career average, and Ray Francis. Fothergill’s signature is seldom seen by virtue of his early demise at age 40 in 1938.

The autograph of pitcher Francis helps date the page to 1923, his only year with the Tigers. Francis is the rarest signature on the page. A veteran of only three big league seasons, Francis last played in 1925 and died in 1934.