In the collection is this handwritten letter from Hall of Fame third baseman George Kell with content devoted to Brooks Robinson. Kell writes of knowing of Robinson since Brooks’ teen years in their shared native state of Arkansas. Kell goes on, “…when I came home in the winter people would tell me that they saw a kid playing American Legion Ball that was from Little Rock who would take my job some day. Well as fate would have it that’s just about what happened.” Kell was traded to the Orioles to fill in at third until Robinson was ready to take the position full time.

Kell goes on to praise Robinson, “You could talk about Brooks all day but he possessed three things you must have, he could hit, he could field – the best ever – and he was a class act. No one I know has ever said a bad word or could about Brooks.” Kell then signs the bottom of the letter.

A nice companion piece to the previous handwritten letter from George Kell about Brooks Robinson, this photo depicts and is autographed by the pair of Hall of Fame third basemen. Though they were teammates for two years in Baltimore, Kell is shown in his more familiar Detroit Tiger uniform representing the team for which he played seven years. The shot was likely taken at an Old Timers game.

The most underrepresented position in the Hall of Fame is third base. Only 11 men who claim it as their primary position have been inducted. Beyond Kell and Brooks Robinson the other nine are Mike Schmidt, George Brett, Ron Santo, Wade Boggs, Jimmy Collins, Frank “Home Run” Baker, Pie Traynor, Freddie Lindstrom, and Eddie Mathews. Kell’s .306 lifetime batting average ranks fifth among HoF third baseman just behind Baker’s mark of .307. Shown here is Kell’s 1955 Bowman baseball cards with a strong autograph in the center of the card.

A lifelong baseball man, George Kell spent 15 years as a big league player and announced another 37 years for the Tigers. During that time he must have plenty of contracts to play and announce. Shown here is an endorsement contract with less than favorable terms. Kell agrees to have his signature appear on souvenir baseballs with stamped autographs. Kell is set to receive one cent per ball sold.

Shown here is a 1958 Topps card signed by Hall of Famer George Kell. This would be Kell’s last baseball card as a player. It shows Kell with the Baltimore Orioles in his final All Star season of 1957. Kell closed out his career mentoring Brooks Robinson to take over the hot corner. Over the course of his 15-year career, Kell amassed 2,054 hits and a .306 career average.