In the collection is an MLB Publicity Bureau questionnaire filled out entirely in Kiner’s hand and dated 16 days after his big league debut. In page one of this 1946 document the 23-year old Kiner writes that he attended Pasadena Jr. College and was an Eastern League all star in 1941 and 1942 during the last of his teen years. No one could have known then that Kiner would become a home run king. For seven straight years Kiner’s name was atop the NL leaderboard in homers — six of those seasons he led all of baseball. A bad back forced Kiner into retirement in 1955 at the age of 32. By 1961 he began what would become a 53-year broadcasting career. He was with the Mets their first season in 1962 and remained behind the mic until 2013 past his 91st birthday.

One of the most famous quotes attributed to Kiner was, “Home run hitters drive Cadillacs and singles hitters drive Fords.” Kiner was known for his malaprops in the broadcasting booth, Kiner even called himself, “Ralph Korner” confusing his own last name for the name of his postgame show, “Kiner’s Korner”. In page two of the Publicity Bureau questionnaire, Kiner reveals that he played only two full seasons of minor league baseball. The third season was cut short after only seven weeks when Kiner enlisted into the Navy. After missing the 1944 and 1945 seasons, Kiner was discharged in December, 1945 at the rank of ensign. Four months later he would be in the big leagues for good, homering him way to a Hall of Fame career.

After Ralph Kiner’s playing career ended in 1955, the slugger became a member of the front office of the Pacific Coast League’s San Diego Padres. As one of the steps to entice the Dodgers to Los Angeles, the LA City Council adopted ordinance 110204 known as the the “Chavez Ravine Ordinance”. The next day the Dodgers had an announcement: “In view of the action of the Los Angeles City Council yesterday and in accordance with the resolution of the National League made October first, the stockholders and directors of the Brooklyn Baseball Club have today met and unanimously agreed that the necessary steps be taken to draft the Los Angeles territory.” Opponents of the move got a referendum to the ordinance on the ballot. Called “Proposition B”, it called for a cancelation of the plan to give Walter O’Malley Chavez Ravine. In this letter, Kiner expresses the PCL Padres’ view in the situation, “As we have previously told you, we have everything to lose and nothing to gain if the referendum is successful, and therefore definitely have no interest, whatsoever, in its success.”