Bob Fishel served as a basecall executive for more than 40 years, eventually ending up as Executive Vice President of the American League. Fishel was named to the Veterans Committee on February 9, 1985 to fill the vacancy created by the death of Joe Cronin. It was in these capacities that the above letter emanates. Fishel writes to a concerned member of SABR, “I understand the story on Vic Willis…though our committee has discussed a one-time possibility of pre-20th century players and Negro League players. Perhaps for the 50th anniversary of the Hall of Fame something will be done along these lines.”

The Veterans Committee would elect Vic Willis in 1995.

In the collection is this original telegram from longtime Yankee executive Bob Fishel congratulating Casey Stengel on his inclusion to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Dated March 9, 1966 it reads, “Your unanimous election to the Hall of Fame certainly comes as no surprise to us. You belong there. Heartiest congratulations on the achievement. Bob Fishel”.

The Yankee Old Timer’s Game was a star-studded affair during the 1960s. Here 300-game winner Lefty Grove accepts Yankee executive Bob Fishel’s invitation to the game via this telegram. A back-to-back World Series champion with the Philadelphia Athletics, Grove was selected to Major League Baseball’s All-Century Team in 1999. Despite all of his accomplishments, it took Grove three years on the ballot to reach Cooperstown in 1947.