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From 1927-1929 Pete Alexander and Fred Frankhouse were both in the pitching staff for the St. Louis Cardinals. Frankhouse was just beginning a 13-year career that saw him win over 100 games while Alexander was finishing out his Hall of Fame career in which he earned 373 victories.

Featured here is a handwritten letter from Frankhouse about his former teammate. He writes about Alexander saying in part, “He was a man of ability who was hampered some what (sic) by the fact that he was an epileptic. This was a well-guarded secret for many years.”

Frankhouse revealed how the team worked with the limitations imposed by Alexander’s disease. “If any symptom of this ailment was manifested before a game he wasn’t used; if a symptom threatened during a game, he was relieved before a seizure occurred.”

In summing up Pete Alexander’s career, Frankhouse wrote, “It is my opinion this man was one of the greatest pitchers of all time. His control was almost perfect. Sincerely, Fred M. Frankhouse”.

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Ten years after Pete Alexander retired, his widow was in dire financial straights as revealed here in a letter from Hall of Fame executive Warren Giles to Dodger VP Buzzie Bavasi. Giles quotes a letter received from Mrs. Alexander as he writes, “Frankly I am desperate and hope you will see fit to help me. I am 66 years old and having a rough go of it, with neuritis and arthritis plus the news this week of a heart condition, along with being financially embarrassed for the moment. If and when I can be working again, I will not need help.”

I know the National League sent Alex $100 for some time, which was discontinued at his death…Mr. Giles, is there any way you can help me, perhaps temporarily? How little I ever dreamed I would have to ask for any help.”

Giles writes to Bavasi letting him know that the league and the Dodgers aren’t really going to help. “I don’t like to get the League involved on any monthly or annual welfare payments that we are not already committed for…While I realize she probably is in difficulty, I have doubt if her situation is ‘desperate’ at the present time. The fact that she is asking for employment indicates she is able to do some work and inasmuch as you have nothing to offer possibly she will find something elsewhere.”

With today’s multi-million dollar contracts it is difficult to image poverty for the family of a 373-game winner. Pete Alexander won over 20 games in nine seasons, leading the league six times.

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Though Alexander pitched in the big leagues until he was 43, he left the game with no other job skills and little hope of earning income. Plagued with epilepsy, Alexander found work playing with the House of David baseball team, a bearded bunch of folks who would travel town to town to play exhibitions.

In this letter, dated 1986, former commissioner Happy Chandler thanks Peter Ueberroff for helping former player Paul Derringer who pitched in the 1930s and 40s. The cause of helping the, “major league players of yesterday”, as Chandler put it was near and dear to his heart.

Chandler recalls with a sense of sadness that Alexander and Dazzy Vance fell on hard times in retirement.

“After their brilliant careers they were playing one night stands with the House of David Baseball Team. I thought that this was a tragedy, and made up my mind that if I ever had an opportunity, I would undertake to get a pension fund for the Major League players…”

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Truly one of the game’s greatest pitchers, Grover Cleveland Alexander is third on the all-time wins list with 373. Born in 1887, Alexander played in his first big league game in 1911 at the age of 24. Over the next 20 seasons, he would establish himself as a formidable twirler, averaging more than 27 wins during his first seven seasons.

In the collection is a 3×5 card with a bold in which he has inscribed, “A Friend Grover Cleveland Alexander”.

Despite his on-field success, Pete Alexander faced financial woes after leaving the game and for the rest of his life.

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Centerfielder Jigger Statz played with the Chicago Cubs as a teammate of Pete Alexander from 1922-1925. Though Alex was past his prime, he still had some left in the tank.

In 1923 Old Pete had 22 victories and the fourth-highest WAR among National League pitchers. He posted a career-best 0.9 walks per nine innings to lead the league. His 1.108 WHIP also paced NL hurlers.

The following season, Alexander received votes in MVP balloting though he made only 20 starts. In 1925 he once again led the NL in walks/9 and won 15 games.

In this handwritten letter Statz gives his thoughts on Alexander. “I was extra lucky to play center field behind Grover Cleveland Alexander who I think was the greatest control pitcher of all time.”

Interestingly, Statz served as technical advisor for The Winning Team, a biopic of the 373-game winner. Ronald Reagan starred as Alexander with Doris Day playing Old Pete’s wife in the Warner Brothers production.

During his professional playing career, Jigger Statz tallied 4,093 hits. That figure is surpassed only by Pete Rose, Ichiro Suzuki, Ty Cobb, Henry Aaron and Derek Jeter.

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Tuxedo Tobacco pulled together the greatest baseball players of the day for this advertisement. Hailing itself as, “The Perfect Pipe Tobacco”, Tuxedo secured the services of “G.C. Alexaner, pitcher — Philadelphia Nationals”.

According to the advertisement, Alexander says, “It would be take a lot to make me give up Tuxedo. No other Tobacco could do it. Tuxedo is, in my estimation the perfect pipe tobacco.”.

Also featured in the ad is Hughie Jennings, Christy Mathewson, Joe Tinker, Wilbert Robinson, and Tyrus R. Cobb.