Wally Berger slammed 100 minor league homers including 40 in 1929 to earn a big league call up. His long ball swing translated well to baseball’s highest level. In Berger’s first year in the majors he set the rookie record with 38 bombs.

The Cincinnati slugger tacked on 119 RBI to go along with a .310/.375/.614 slash line. That translated to a 137 OPS+ and 4.1 WAR.

More than a quarter century after Berger established the mark, Reds rookie sensation Frank Robinson matched it. In 1987 a then-82 year-old Berger saw the record fall when Mark McGwire belted 49 dingers for the Oakland A’s.

Shown here is a team sheet of autographs from the 1956 Reds. Berger’s rookie record-holding mate Frank Robinson signed it along with 25 other members of the ’56 Cincinnati squad.

Playing for a second-division Braves team, Wally Berger was a first-rate star. The first 7 years of the 1930s he hit .305 and averaged 28 HR and 103 RBI per season. Berger’s WAR was at least 4.0 each year and 35.9 overall in the 7-year run.

In 1935 his 34 home runs and 130 runs batted in topped the National League. His homer total was just four shy of his team’s 38 wins on the season. Berger’s closest competition on the squad for home runs was 40-year old Babe Ruth who hit 6.

Nineteen thirty-six was Berger’s fourth-straight and final All Star campaign.  Limited to 138 games – the least of his career to that point – Berger battled shoulder and hand injuries. He still managed 25 homers and 91 RBI.

From his age-31 season in 1937 through the his last year in 1940, Berger played for four different teams. Suiting up for the Braves, Giants, Reds, and Phillies he totaled just 48 homers and 178 RBI. Berger played his final MLB game on July 4, 1940 at age 34.

In the collection is this signed scorecard from an exhibition on October 31, 1935 at Los Angeles’ Wrigley Field. The lineup of the Philadelphia Royal Giants includes Hall of Famers Turkey Stearnes, Mule Suttles, and Biz Mackey.

Satchel Paige whose signature is at the bottom of the page was the starting pitcher. He pitched four innings before being relieved by Chet Brewer who took the loss in the 5-4 contest.

Playing for Dizzy Dean’s All Stars Berger hit a double and a triple and one run scored. The lineup included Hall of Fame shortstop Arky Vaughan, 1941 MVP Dolph Camilli, and PCL legend Jigger Statz. Dean started on the hill and pitched 7 innings in his team’s 5-4 victory.

Berger went 2-for-4 on the day with a double, a triple, and a run scored.

Five men have adorned their signatures to the lineup including Paige, Vaughan, Camilli, Berger, and Tuck Stainback.

From 1930-1937 Wally Berger toiled in relative obscurity for the lowly Boston Braves. The NL’s starting centerfielder in baseball’s first All Star Game, Berger made the four consecutive Mid Summer Classic squads.

In his first season Berger set MLB’s record for homers by a rookie. He received votes in MVP balloting each of his campaigns from 1932-1936.

Berger finished his 11-year big league career with 1,550 hits, 299 doubles, 242 homers, and 898 RBI. His lifetime marks include an even .300 batting average, a .522 slugging percentage, and a 138 OPS+.

Shown here is a close up of Berger’s signature from the previous image.