The New York Yankees | Photo album of the 1931 New York Yankees, signed by 19 members of the team, including 10 future Hall of Famers, made for Yankees coach Jimmy Burke

The Passion of American Collectors: Property of Barbara and Ira Lipman

The New York Yankees

George Burke photo album of the 1931 New York Yankees, signed by 19 members of the team, including 10 future Hall of Famers

Brown calf two-post album (252 x 205 mm) containing black paper mounting sheets, 25 of the sheets mounted with original silver print photographs by George Burke (each ca. 150 x 101 mm); occasional oxidation. The front cover with embossed decoration and lettered in gold and silver: The | Yankees | Jas. Burke | 1931, George Burke's card tipped to rear pastedown; silver lettering abraded, extremities a little rubbed. 

George Burke, based in Chicago, was one of the most important baseball photographers during the first decades of the game's golden era. The present album features informal portraits of twenty members of the Yankees, their manager, two of their coaches, and the team's batboy. Since the Yankees are all dressed in road uniforms, Burke presumably photographed them at Comiskey Park.

The sitters, in album order, and their inscriptions are: manager Joe McCarthy ("Believe me if you ever had a friend its Jim Burke, Joe McCarthy"); coach Jimmy Burke (not signed); coach Art Fletcher ("With best wishes to Jim, Arthur Fletcher"); Babe Ruth ("Babe Ruth"); Lou Gehrig (To Jimmy—With kindest personal regards—Lou Gehrig"); Cy Perkins ("Good luck to Old Jimmy, Cy Perkins"); Art Jorgens ("Best Wishes Sincerely, Art Jorgens"); Sammy Byrd ("Best of Luck To Jimmy from Sam Byrd"); Lyn Larry (To Jim Burke from Lyn Lary"); Earle Combs ("To My good friend Jimmie Burke, Earle Combs"); Joe Sewell ("To my friend, Joe Sewell"); Ben Chapman (not signed); Herb Pennock ("To my friend Jimmy Sincerely Herb Pennock"); Red Ruffing (To My Pal Jim Burke From Chas Ruffing Sept. 1.1931"); Gordon Rhodes ("To My Friend Jimmie Burke, Dusty Rhodes"); Ben Chapman (" With best wishes from Ben Chapman"); Bill Dickey ("Bill Dickie"); Tony Lazzeri ("To My Friend Jim From Tony Lazzeri"); Left Gomez ("To my friend Jimmie Burke, Vernon Gomez"); Jimmie Reese ("To my Pal Jimmie Burke Best Wishes Jimmie Reese"); batboy Eddie Bennett ("To My Pal Jimmie Burke From Eddie Bennett"); Jim Weaver (not signed); Ed Wells (To my friend Jimmy, Ed Wells"); Myril Hoag ("To My Pal Jimmie Burke Best Wishes From Myril Hoag"); Hank Johnson ("To my Friend Jimmie Burke, Henry Johnson").

The recipient of the album, Jimmy Burke, had been a major league player, coach, and manager, before joining the Yankees as a coach in 1931. Burke had spent the five previous seasons coaching the Cubs, which is when he must have become acquainted with George Burke (no relation).

Ruth, Gehrig, McCarthy, Pennock, Combs, Dickey, Gomez, Ruffing, Sewell, and Lazzeri, all of whom signed the present album, are all in the Hall of Fame.

PROVENANCE

James Copeland, The Copeland Collection (Sotheby's New York, 22 March 22, 1991, lot 442)