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Jeremy

@iconicinks_

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📍 Memphis ➡️ Kansas City
⚾️ PC: Bobby Witt Jr, Austin Riley, & vintage Braves
📈 Sports memorabilia
✍🏻 Sharing history behind the signatures
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⚾️ 106 Years Ago, Connie Mack Put Pen to Paper

Every once in a while, a piece of baseball memorabilia comes along that feels like a direct connection to another era. Chalk it up as another reason why baseball is the best.

This letter was written January 6, 1920, by legendary Philadelphia Athletics manager and owner Connie Mack to Evansville Courier cartoonist Karl Kae Knecht. That makes this letter more than a century old, and the original signature of one of the greatest figures in baseball history is still right there at the bottom.

Connie Mack was already a baseball institution when he wrote this. His professional baseball career had begun all the way back in the 1880s, first as a catcher and later as a manager. In 1901, he became the manager of the newly formed Philadelphia Athletics, a position he would hold for an incredible 50 seasons.

Mack wasn’t simply a manager. He was the architect, owner, treasurer and public face of the Athletics. Known as “The Tall Tactician” and later “The Grand Old Man of Baseball,” he built two separate dynasties in Philadelphia, winning nine American League pennants and five World Series championships.

And this letter comes from right in the middle of his first great dynasty.

The 1910s Athletics featured legends such as Eddie Collins, Home Run Baker, Chief Bender and Eddie Plank, and Mack’s clubs captured championships in 1910, 1911 and 1913. Just a few years later, he would dismantle that team and eventually build another championship powerhouse in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

The recipient, Karl Kae Knecht, was an accomplished figure in his own right. Knecht served as the editorial cartoonist for the Evansville Courier from 1906 through 1960, producing more than 18,000 cartoons during his 54-year career. His work covered politics, current events, entertainment and, naturally, sports.

106 years later, the ink remains. ⚾️ taken in Strawberry Hill, Kansas City by @iconicinks_

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a month ago

Tommy John’s legacy goes far beyond 288 wins. In 1974, he became the first pitcher to undergo the surgery that would bear his name, returning to win 164 more games. Today, thousands of pitchers owe their careers to that breakthrough. He didn’t just play baseball. He changed it forever. taken in Strawberry Hill, Kansas City by @iconicinks_

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2 months ago

We need more pre-war soccer (football) appreciation in the hobby. There are so many significant players, teams, cards, and history available at a significant discount when compared to the top prewar baseball cards. I recently watched a great conversation between @elrey_collection and @itsgeoffwilson about this niche corner of the hobby. The sport itself is anything but niche. Football, or soccer, is the world’s game. It is the beautiful game. And it is certainly an area to watch in the near future as the sport gains even more traction in the U.S. following the World Cup.

Pictured here is a 1908 Ogden’s Billy Meredith. Billy Meredith was one of the greatest pioneers and icons of early football, helping shape the sport during its transition into the professional era. Born in Wales in 1874, Meredith became famous for his extraordinary dribbling ability, speed, and creativity, earning a reputation as one of the most exciting players of his generation. He starred for both Manchester City and Manchester United, represented Wales nearly 50 times, and played at the highest level for more than three decades. Like the early legends of baseball, Meredith represents the foundation of his sport, making him one of the most important figures in football history and a cornerstone name for collectors of prewar soccer memorabilia. taken in Strawberry Hill, Kansas City by @iconicinks_

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2 months ago

Witnessing history in the making. 📈

At just 19 years old, Lamine Yamal isn’t just playing the game; he’s rewriting the record books with every touch. From La Masia to World Cup champion, his rise has been nothing short of meteoric.

Secured this PSA 10 rookie card from the 2023-24 Score FIFA set. This isn’t just a piece of cardboard, it’s a snapshot of the beginning of an era. The talent is undeniable, the potential is limitless.

#LamineYamal #FCBarcelona #Spain #WorldCup #Espana taken in Strawberry Hill, Kansas City by @iconicinks_

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3 months ago

If you could, would you?

Saw this tonight and immediately thought of @southerncollector14 taken in Strawberry Hill, Kansas City by @iconicinks_

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3 months ago

Recently added a 2006 Navarrete Mundial Alemania 134 Lionel Messi to the collection. I’ve been a Messi fan for over 20 years as I am a massive FC Barcelona fan, but I don’t have many soccer cards in my collection. That has slowly changed in recent months. Unlike the much more famous 2006 Panini World Cup Sticker 185, the Navarrete 134 was produced for the Spanish market and had a much smaller print run, making it considerably scarcer.

#messi #argentina #worldcup #barcelona #soccer taken in Kansas City, Kansas by @iconicinks_

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3 months ago

Visited an exhibition today about the Cold War and the Berlin Wall and was pleasantly surprised to see a few Bowman cards! There were a few cards from the 1951 Bowman Red Menace set. I didn’t come home with any cool non-sports cards today, but I did bring home a piece of the Berlin Wall! #history #nonsportscards #bowman #berlinwall #kansascity taken in Union Station, Kansas City by @iconicinks_

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3 months ago

Two of newest pickups! These are only my second cards for each of these hall of fame players and the centering on each are amazing. taken in Strawberry Hill, Kansas City by @iconicinks_

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3 months ago

Amazing experience using @retrolockerofficial for the first time. I ordered a Shohei Ohtani Dodgers jersey and could not be more pleased. The numbers, emblems, and names are stitched rather than the heat pressed mess that most companies produce these days.

I also ordered a vintage Bo Jackson Royals jersey, a Lionel Messi Argentina jersey, a Derek Jeter Yankees jersey, and a Balogun USMNT soccer jersey. I’ll share my experience with those once they arrive. taken in Strawberry Hill, Kansas City by @iconicinks_

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3 months ago

It doesn’t get more iconic than a Mickey Mantle single signed baseball. This is a beautifully signed ball. I’m so excited to have this new addition in my collection! @cleansweepauctions

#Yankees #Baseball #MickeyMantle #HOF #NewYork taken in Strawberry Hill, Kansas City by @iconicinks_

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3 months ago

Is Frank Schulte the best “deadball” player NOT in the National Baseball Hall of Fame?

Frank “Wildfire” Schulte was a multi-dimensional star who anchored the Chicago Cubs during their most dominant era in the early 20th century. His crowning achievement came in 1911, when he was named the National League MVP after becoming the first player in history to join the prestigious 20-20-20-20 club (recording at least 20 doubles, 20 triples, 20 home runs, and 20 stolen runs in a single season). This is a feat so rare it has only been duplicated a handful of times in over a century. Beyond that legendary season, Schulte was a perennial leader in offensive categories, frequently topping the NL in triples, home runs, and slugging percentage while serving as the heart of a lineup that captured four pennants and two World Series titles. A true pioneer of power and speed, Schulte’s unique performance and historical impact on the game’s evolution should guarantee him a place among baseball’s immortals and he certainly deserves to have his legacy enshrined in Cooperstown. taken in Strawberry Hill, Kansas City by @iconicinks_

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4 months ago

“Memphis Bill” Terry was the last National League player to bat over .400 when he hit .401 in 1930. He was nicknamed Memphis Bill after moving to the city in 1916 and returning to Memphis during each offseason while in the majors. He played for the New York Giants from 1923 to 1936 and replaced Hall of Fame manager John McGraw in 1932 as manager of the team. In his first season as player manager, Terry led the Giants to a World Series championship in 1933. A reported crowd of 100,000 people greeted Terry in a Memphis parade following the Giants winning the World Series.

He would remain as a player manager until 1936 and would spend the following 5 seasons as manager only. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1954 and some believe he would have entered Cooperstown sooner if he had a better relationship with the baseball writers that covered his career and were responsible for voting.

#BillTerry #Baseball #History #Memphis #halloffame taken in Strawberry Hill, Kansas City by @iconicinks_

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4 months ago