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The Braves franchise started in Boston and moved to Milwaukee when Bud Selig was in college. The future commissioner was ecstatic to have a big league team in his home state. He attended the Braves’ first home game in Milwaukee.

Selig remained a fan throughout the Braves tenure in the city. He built a fortune in the car leasing business and became a powerbroker in Milwaukee.

When Warren Spahn won his 300th game, Selig sent the left-hander the telegram above. It reads, “Congratulations on your remarkable achievement of winning three hundred games. We wish you continued success in the future in your great career.”

Selig went on to become the founding owner of the Milwaukee Brewers. Later he was interim commissioner before taking the post full time. He remained in office from 1998-2015 and was voted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.

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When Bud Selig purchased the Seattle Pilots in 1970, the franchise was bankrupt. Selig immediately moved the club to his home town of Milwaukee.

Though he kept the existing manager Dave Bristol for the 1971 season, Selig replaced him early the following year with Del Crandall, a 9-time All Star for the Milwaukee Braves.

Crandall helped the Milwaukee fans embrace the Brewers, improving their record by 14 wins his first full season in 1973. The following year Crandall again moved the team in the right direction, gaining two wins in ’74. The team under performed in ’75 and was 67-94 when Selig fired Crandall on September 27 with one game to go in the season.

In the collection is this Brewers check made out to Crandall and signed by Selig as team owner. It is dated on the 15th of October, 1975, 18 days after Crandall’s firing.

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Since the inception of the National League in 1876, the St. Louis Cardinals have more World Series triumphs than any other Senior Circuit franchise. Likewise, the proud St. Louis club boasts the most retired number of an NL club.

Number 2 worn by Cardinals great Red Schoendienst is one of the 15 numbers the team will never again issue.

Second baseman Schoendienst tallied 2,449 career hits and led or tied for the league lead in fielding percentage six times. A Veterans Committee selection for Cooperstown in 1989, he was part of the inaugural class of the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2014.

Shown here is a letter from Bud Selig in his role of chairman of MLB’s Executive Council. The position was the de facto commissionership that he held from 1992 until being officially named commissioner in 1998. Dated May 6, 1996 and on MLB letterhead, the letter is written to Schoendienst a few days before the May 11th ceremony retiring his #2.

“Congratulations on the Cardinals retiring your number!” it starts.

Selig continues, “You have been one of the legendary figures in Baseball during our generation and your contributions as a player, as a coach, and as a manager have made this game much greater.”

Letters between two Cooperstown men are always a highlight of the CooperstownExpert.com collection.

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On August 24, 2010 the Milwaukee Brewers unveiled a statue of Bud Selig at Miller Park. Among the outpouring of affection that reached the former club owner and commissioner was a congratulatory wish from former Rookie of the Year Roy Sievers.

In this letter dated August 26, 2010, Commissioner Bud Selig writes to Roy Sievers.

“Thank you for your wonderfully thoughtful letter…I must tell you how well I remember your wonderful career. I know you had some great years and obviously, I was a great baseball fan during your entire career. I really appreciate the sincerity of your letter. It’s clear to me that your love for our great game is still burning brightly…”

Selig who was 14 years old when Sievers made his MLB debut, signs the letter boldly at the bottom.

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Seven days after the unveiling of a statue bearing his likeness outside of Miller Park, Bud Selig sent this letter to former home run champion Roy Sievers.

Dated August 31, 2010, the letter reads in part, “Dear Roy, Just a short note to thank you for the wonderful card of congratulations which you sent to me. It was a great day with extraordinary emotion and I was really honored to have all of my players back to celebrate with us.”

The man who unilaterally retired Jackie Robinson‘s #42,Bud Selig earned respect for his stewardship of America’s National Pastime. Under his watch, baseball centralized the umpiring staff and introduced instant-replay, making it the most accurately-officiated professional game on his continent.

Selig’s reign brought three-division play to each league, their accompanying divisional races, and the expanded playoff format.

Thanks to this vision, every summer millions of fans in cities across America owe their thanks to Hall of Fame member Allan “Bud” Selig.

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Imagine the thrill of getting drafted by a Major League franchise. As commissioner, Bud Selig intensified the honor by sending his personal congratulations to all first-round picks in 2010.

Bryce Harper was the first overall player selected that year in which a number of picks became stars. Each first-round draft pick received a card like this one from the Commissioner of Baseball, Bud Selig.

The man who unilaterally retired Jackie Robinson’s #42, Bud Selig earned respect for his stewardship of America’s National Pastime.

Under his watch, baseball centralized the umpiring staff and introduced instant-replay, making it the most accurately-officiated professional game on his continent.

Selig’s reign brought three-division play to each league, their accompanying divisional races, and the expanded playoff format.