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After breaking into the big leagues at age 26 in 1929, Averill played 11 seasons in Cleveland. The centerfielder was an offensive force. In his first ten years in the bigs, Averill he hit .323 and averaged 23 homers with 108 runs batted in.

An All Star in the first six times the Mid Summer classic was played, Averill holds a .395 career on-base percentage. When he retired in 1941, Averill was a 13-year MLB veteran with a case for Cooperstown.

In retirement, Averill was outspoken about deserving a spot in the Hall.

After his 1975 election he remarked, “Had I been elected after my death, I had made arrangements that my name never be placed in the Hall of Fame.” He also said of his induction, ““I could have gotten in sooner, but it’s sure better late than never.”

Because of his baseball exploits, Averill was in high demand for Old Timer’s games. In this letter he writes to Yankee general manager Roy Hamey to confirm his attendance in New York for the 1962 Old Timer’s game.

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Baseball came up with the idea of an all-star game in 1933 to showcase the game’s brightest stars. Earl Averill was chosen that season to start a string of six straight All Star appearances.

In this letter the former centerfielder confirms his presence at the 40th All Star game in 1973 at Kansas City. Two years later Averill would get the call informing him of his election to the Hall of Fame.

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The 1973 All Star Game was quite a celebration. It was the 40th anniversary of the Major League Baseball’s first Mid Summer Classic of 1933. All living players from the ’33 game were invited to participate in the festivities.

Earl Averill attended along with fellow Hall of Famers Carl Hubbell, Joe Cronin, Charlie Gehringer, and Lefty Grove and Lefty Gomez. In the previous letter, Averill accepts the invite.

Shown here is Hank Aaron‘s invitation from NL president Chub Feeney to play in the ’73 All Star game. Aaron’s did his part to help the National League win the contest. In the top of the 6th inning, hit a single off of Minnesota’s Bert Blyleven to score Joe Morgan and give the Senior Circuit a 2-1 lead.

His squad never looked back, winning the game 7-1. Aaron’s base hit saddled Blyleven with the loss in his first All Star appearance.

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Goudey’s iconic 1933 baseball cards coincided with Major League Baseball’s first all star game. In the collection is Earl Averill’s original card from that year adorned with the autograph of the Indian great.

Averill played in the inaugural event as well as the next five Mid Summer Classics. In his first ten seasons as a big leaguer, Averill averaged 189 hits, 37 doubles, 12 triples, 23 homers and 108 RBI while hitting .323 with a .399 on-base percentage.

Averill’s son Earl D. Averill also played in the big leagues, suiting up for the Angels, Cubs, Phillies, Indians, and White Sox during his seven-year career.

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When Earl Averill retired in 1941, he was one of the baseball’s true greats. The Hall of Fame centerfielder ranked high on the all-time leaderboard in most of the meaningful categories. He was in the top-80 in hits (77th), runs (61st), doubles (42nd), triples (73rd), homers (15th), total bases (42nd), RBI (41st)and WAR (49th).

Since then the game has evolved and many who’ve followed have passed the Cleveland legend.

Shown here is a historic game-used lineup card signed by Tom Trebelhorn as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers. Notice Willie Randolph batting 7th and playing second base. In this contest of May 17th, 1991 at Royals Stadium, Randolph tied Averill on the all-time hits list.

Randolph came up in the 10th inning of a 5-5 tie with Dante Bichette on first and one out. Royals pitcher Mark Davis a one-ball-one-strike pitch that Willie hit up the middle for a base hit. Two batters later Dale Sveum hit a triple to plate both runners in the Brewers 7-5 win.

Randolph’s base hit was the 2,019th of his career to match Averill. Nine days later he went 2-for-4 to pass the pass career total. Fittingly the game came at Cleveland for whom Averill represented in baseball’s first six All Star Games.

Also in the Brewers lineup that day was Cooperstown’s Robin Yount. Playing centerfield, he went 2-for-4 with a run and a double. That two-base hit was the 506th of Yount’s illustrious Hall of Fame career. That was quite literally a Ruthian feat as he matched the career total of the great Babe Ruth

By the time he retired in 1993, Yount’s 583 doubles were more than all but ten players in the history of the game. Cooperstown’s class of 1999, Yount signed this lineup card and added the inscription, “Passed Babe Ruth on doubles list”.

By the time he retired in 1993, Yount’s 583 doubles were more than all but ten players in the history of the game. Cooperstown’s class of 1999, Yount signed this lineup card and added the inscription, “Passed Babe Ruth on doubles list”.

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Hall of Fame outfielder Earl Averill enjoyed a 13-year Major League career. In 1931, his third full season in the big leagues his son Earl Jr. was born.

The younger Averill himself played seven seasons at baseball’s highest level, suiting up for Angels, Cubs, Indians, Philies, and White Sox. In the collection is a questionnaire filled out and signed by Earl Jr. He reveals a key benefit of having a major leaguer as a father.

When asked about such positives he writes, “I was practically raised on a baseball diamond. I didn’t think of much else.” The Hall of Famers son ended his MLB career in 1963 after 449 games. He passed away in May, 2015.