Interesting 1911 direct mail appeal from St. Ann's hospital of Chicago, promoting a benefit baseball game between the hometown Cubs and White Sox, with proceeds from ticket sales all benefiting the hospital. The letter lists the key players from both teams, including Hall of Famers Ed Walsh, Hugh Duffy, Johnny Evers, Joe Tinker, Mordecai Brown and Frank Chance. The letter exhibits heavy wear, with some tears at the folds and a few areas of paper loss at the edges. Discoloration is evident at the center of the piece, likely where tickets were stored with the letter over years.
The game, played on October 23, drew more than 8.000 fans and raised between $10,000 and $15,000 for the hospital. Future Hall of Fame umpire Hank O'Day officiated, and, most notably, the teams held an auction for autographed baseballs. A ball signed by Ed Walsh brought $5, with similar prices paid for baseballs signed by Frank Chance, Hugh Duffy, Johnny Evers, Joe Tinker, and others. PLEASE NOTE: if the families of the winners of any of those baseballs would like to consign them to Love of the Game, we guarantee that you will at least double your money.
The White Sox defeated the Cubs in the game itself, 6-2, with Ping Bodie and Abby McConnell each getting three hits for the Sox, and Johnny Evers getting three for the Cubs.