Max Carey
| Birthdate | 1/11/1890 |
| Death Date | 5/30/1976 |
| Debut Year | 1910 |
| Year of Induction | 1961 |
| Teams | Dodgers, Pirates |
| Position | Center Field |
Max Carey led the National League in stolen bases ten times during his 20-year career. He held the NL career mark until Lou Brock broke it in 1974.
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Max Carnarius changed his last name to Carey to protect his amateur status
Max Carnarius changed his last name to Carey to protect his amateur status
Born in 1890 to Prussian immigrants, Max Carey’s name at birth was Maximilian George Carnarius. With his parents pushing him to become a minister, Carey graduated from a seminary in Indiana before attending Concordia Seminary in St. Louis in his quest to fulfill his parents’ wishes.
While at Concordia, Carey played baseball, swam and ran on their track-and-field teams. In the summer of 1909 Carey went to a minor league baseball game that featured the South Bend Greens who had recently sold their shortstop.
Carey convinced the South Bend manager Aggie Grant to let him play the rest of the season. To protect his amateur at status at Concordia, Carnarius went by the name Max Carey.
In the collection is a “Max Carnarius” signature on the back of an envelope used to mail a letter to his future wife. Though “Max Carey” signatures are readily available on the market, examples featuring his given last name are rarely found.
Carey held the NL career record for stolen bases until Lou Brock broke it in 1974
Carey held the NL career record for stolen bases until Lou Brock broke it in 1974
Max Carey played 20 years in the big leagues. Seventeen of those seasons were spent with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The speedy center fielder led the NL in stolen bases ten times with the Pirates. Carey finished with 738 stolen bases and held the Senior Circuit’s career mark until Lou Brock surpassed it in 1974.
The lifetime National Leaguer ended his career with 2,665 hits, 419 doubles, and 1,545 runs scored. He was inducted into Cooperstown in 1961.
Shown here is the front of the envelope that housed Carey’s letter. A look at the postmark on the front of the envelope reveals a mailing date of November 30, 1912 from Carey’s home town of Terre Haute, Indiana.
Carey was in his third Major League season with the Pirates by that time. That season Carey recorded 45 stolen bases, good for second in the league. In 1913, Carey would begin a 13-year run in which he led the National League in thefts ten times.
Carey kept in touch with his wife during the season through letter-writing
Carey kept in touch with his wife during the season through letter-writing
The life of a baseball player seems glamorous to outsiders. What casual observers don’t realize is that the season separates the players from their loved ones from February’s Spring Training until the season ends at the start of October.
Max Carey stayed in touch with his wife Aurelia during the season by writing her letters.
A year after the “Carnarius” envelope was signed, Carey mailed this to his wife. Providing another early example of his signature, the piece is addressed to “Mrs. Max Carey”. The six-page letter that follows was originally housed in this envelope.
Carey enjoyed a 20-year career from 1910-1929 and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1961.
Carey wrote this letter to his wife on the last day of the 1913 season
Carey wrote this letter to his wife on the last day of the 1913 season
“Shoot it, lost again! Great ball-club we are. We couldn’t beat the St. Louis Feds,” a downcast Carey writes at the start of this letter. “Well, the season will be over and maybe the sooner the better.”
An October 6 date appears at the top of the letter and coincides with Pittsburgh’s last game of the season.
An interesting point about Carey: when he was young, his mother sewed pads into his uniform to protect his legs and hips while sliding. Carey went on to patent the sliding pants that are standard issue for every position player today.
Carey's tone in the letters is that of a loving and devoted husband
Carey's tone in the letters is that of a loving and devoted husband
As the letter continues, Carey’s tone softens as it turns to personal thoughts with his wife. “Honey, did you get my letters? I thought I wrote every day all except one I think. Maybe it took a couple of them longer to reach you…Oh hon, I wish you were here by my side every minute.”
The former seminary student seems to be very much in love with his bride.
The 1913 campaign was a breakout season for Carey. He led the league in at bats, runs scored, and steals. Carey also began a run in which he topped the NL in thefts in ten of 13 seasons.
Honus Wagner befriended Carey when the speedster joined the Pirates in 1910
Honus Wagner befriended Carey when the speedster joined the Pirates in 1910
Almost from the day Max Carey arrived in Pittsburgh in 1910, Pirates star Honus Wagner took him under his wing. Wagner advised Carey to take extra care to keep his legs in shape, believing that speed was the tool with which Carey would make his mark.
The pair played alongside each other for eight years from 1910-1917. During that time, Carey amassed 1,081 hits and 316 steals. In those eight years, he led the NL in steals four times, and runs and triples one time each.
In the letter Carey mentions his friend Wagner. “Went out to dinner with Honus and (pitcher Claude) Hendrix this evening at some swell people’s house.”
Carey closes the letter lovingly, “Well, Darling you devoted hubby sends all his affectionate kisses of love to his little wife.”
All in and all, the letter provides a nice snapshot into the life of Max Carey.
As a Hall of Famer, Carey got invited to many Cooperstown parties
As a Hall of Famer, Carey got invited to many Cooperstown parties
One of the perks of being National League president is interacting with former players. In this letter dated March 8, 1969 NL boss Warren Giles writes to Max Carey saying in part, “The Commissioner’s Office, the National and American Leagues are jointly entertaining all living members of the Hall of Fame at a dinner at the Otesaga Hotel, Cooperstown, New York…”.
The letter is nicely presented on National League letterhead. Giles has neatly signed the bottom of this correspondence between two Hall of Famers.
One can only imagine attending such a baseball soiree filled with Cooperstown men and baseball dignitaries.
Baseball threw a centennial celebration in 1969 - Max Carey attended
Baseball threw a centennial celebration in 1969 - Max Carey attended
Bowie Kuhn became commissioner of baseball in 1969 just in time for the Centennial celebration. A three-day event, it included pre-game festivities at Washington, D.C.’s RFK stadium. All living members of the Hall of Fame were invited.
In this letter to Max Carey, Commissioner Kuhn acknowledges Carey’s attendance to the event. Kuhn writes that he’s delighted Carey will attend and that the commissioner will reserve two tickets to the ’69 All Star game. Kuhn has signed the bottom of this letter between two members of baseball’s Hall of Fame.
Max Carey was one of 22 members of the Hall of Fame to attend the 1970 induction
Max Carey was one of 22 members of the Hall of Fame to attend the 1970 induction
Each summer the living members of the Hall of Fame flock to Cooperstown to attend the induction ceremony. It’s an annual event that the men look forward to.
Max Carey attended the 1970 festivities along with 21 other Hall of Famers. Inducted that day was 1927 Murderers’ Row leadoff man Earle Combs, 1948 AL MVP Lou Boudreau, former NL president and commissioner Ford Frick, and 210-game winner Jesse Haines,
In the collection is this letter to Carey from then-National League president Chub Feeney. Feeney invites Carey to the induction ceremony. Feeney also invites Carey to a “Stag Dinner” for National League Hall of Famers held the night before. Haines, a lifelong Cardinal no doubt attended.
