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Lot # 693: 1894 Walter Camp Twice-Signed 4-Page Handwritten Letter w/Terrific Football Content (PSA)

Category: Football

Starting Bid: $1,000.00

Bids: 6 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Mid-Spring Classic 2021",
which ran from 5/9/2021 7:00 PM to
6/4/2021 11:00 PM



Startling in both content and condition, this four-page letter was handwritten and twice-signed by the man known as the "Father of American Football," Walter Camp. Penned primarily in black fountain ink with some notations that may be in pencil, the flowing script is on 8.5x5.5" stationery from the New Haven Clock Co. and dated Dec 14, 1894. Marked as "Confidential," the football forefather addresses his note to "My Dear Paul" and seems to very critical of the choice to play the University of Chicago on Christmas Day of that year, noting that there is "very little to gain by a contest with any team that has not, as you have, won a sectional championship." He also notes that, "Wisconsin beat them 30 to 0" (which they did, on October 20) before proceeding to detail tactics and strategy for that opponent. Showing that predictions have always been difficult - even for one of the pioneers of the sport - Camp was off the mark as Chicago (coached by no less than Amos Alonzo Stagg) defeated a possibly overconfident Stanford squad, 24-4, in that Christmas Day game, though Stanford returned the favor four days later in a 12-0 win. Two pages are signed by Camp and both are encapsulated by PSA, this very significant historical item is in EX-MT condition with 8/10 ink writing and signatures.

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