He may be best-known for his famous line "Well, nobody's perfect" line in the 1959 comedy classic "Some Like It Hot," but Joe E. Brown was one of the premier comedians of the 1930s and '40s, and, it may surprise some, was one of the first big collectors of game-used baseball memorabilia, as these letters to Hall of Fame catcher Mickey Cochrane's wife attest.
Both are handwritten a year after Mickey passed. Mrs. Cochrane, knowing that Brown was a collector, offered Mickey's uniform and spikes, and Brown graciously accepts them for his trophy room. One letter is signed "Joe E" with Brown printed and the other is signed "Joe E. Brown." They both show wonderful insight from and early collector who happened to have been a celebrity.