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Old pals
12 Lowell Road
Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts
Mr. Roy Hitt
1105 St. Gregory Street
Cincinnati, Ohio
August 25, 1940
Dear Roy,
Thank you so much for your letter of last week, and your kind words about my mother’s illness. I should have answered it sooner, but now I am very glad I waited.
First of all, my mother seems to be improving somewhat. She is feeling a little stronger; I think the cooler weather we’ve had in New England lately has made a difference. She enjoys sitting on the front porch on sunny days, but until about a week ago it has been too hot for her to stay outside for very long.
Honestly, I think the fact that the Red Sox have been playing so well—and that her grandson has been pitching so superbly—has quite a bit to do with her current good spirits and “pep.” I suppose you read in today’s paper that Mike pitched a shutout against St. Louis yesterday? Mike has now won ten consecutive decisions! It was a game we absolutely had to win if we were to keep up with the Yankees. They won too, which means we’re tied for the lead once again.
I could not be prouder of the way Mike has handled the pressures of the pennant fight. He is the youngest of the four pitchers in our starting rotation; in fact, he’s the only one in his twenties. It has become clear, however, that the players have as much faith in him as they do in Jim Weaver or Ray Brown. In fact—between the two of us—I think the men would rather see Mike on the mound than any of the other fellows!
Thank you, too, for your advice concerning Charlie Banfield. I know you have watched him pitch since he was a kid, and I trust your judgment concerning pitching talent implicitly—even when the pitcher in question is married to your daughter! It took a lot to persuade the Braves to trade Charlie to us—we had to give them George Dickey, who is the best reserve catcher in the league—but I think Banfield will be a wonderful pitcher one day.
If it were not for my mother’s health, I know I would be enjoying this baseball season as much as any I have ever experienced. Archie Graham, whom we have both known since that wonderful trip we made out West, has been a wonderful addition to the team, and as you know, he’s a splendid fellow, too. Bill Carrigan is, of course, my oldest friend in baseball; we go all the way back to ’06 in Richmond! And I simply cannot find the words to express how special it has been to share the experience with Mike, watching him pitch so well.
I know that there are no guarantees the season will end with us on top. The Yankees have exactly the same mathematical chance of winning the pennant that we do, after all. I also know that if the Yankees end up winning, I might look back at the season very differently one day. For now, however, I’m taking your advice and enjoying every moment for what it is worth. There are, as we both know, many things that are more important than winning pennants.
I’m looking forward to seeing you in Cooperstown this fall, old friend. Please give my best to your lovely family.
Your pal,
Pat
Note: No matter how encyclopedic your knowledge of major league baseball in 1940 might be, you won’t recognize Charlie Banfield. Nor will you be able to recall anything about John Fritsch or Kelby Beton.
Banfield, Fritsch, and Beton are three of the “mystery players” who suddenly appeared last season. Since I control the Red Sox myself, the team missed out on “signing” any of the phantoms, and that seems to put them at a bit of a disadvantage. So, I decided to see if I could acquire a couple of them in trades.
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