1933 World Series Press Pass Badge, BWA Letter and Envelope for New York Giants vs. Washington Senators at the Polo Grounds – Games 1 and 2 – Plus Other Press Ephemera

The next four lots emanate from the Troy Record's newspaper sports reporters that attended the World Series in 1933, 1936, 1937 and 1939. Troy is upstate near Albany, New York. Each lot contains the reporter's Press Pass badge and letter of instructions from the Baseball Writers Association (BWA) which each writer would have received when attending the World Series games each year. Other ephemera like the original envelopes of the instruction packet and other paperwork, article notes and typed memos to fire back to the home office are included in some of the lots. The unique, die cut cardboard press pass badges were created especially for each Series and issued to only officially registered members of the press. While the well known World Series press pins are seen regularly in the hobby, these interesting printed press passes are not seen with any regularity. These four lots present a special opportunity to acquire passes from four World Series in the 1930s featuring the Yankees, Giants, Senators and Reds.

Offered is the 1933 cardboard die cut press pass badge, Baseball Writers Association letter of instructions and envelope for reporter John McGrath from the upstate New York newspaper, The Troy Record. The pass would have been for all four games at the Polo Grounds, but only Games 1 and 2 are punched because the Giants beat the the Senators 4-1 in the series. The BWA letter reads in part "For the fifth time in thirteen years the New York Club of the National League and Charles A. Stoneman, its president, welcome you to this city for a World Series...Please assist the Committee in preventing the abuse of lending press buttons. We are going to adhere strictly to the understanding that the press badge and the press button are your personal courtesies. IF THESE ARE PRESENTED BY PERSONS TO WHOM TEHY WERE NOT ISSUED THEY WILL BE TAKEN UP AT ONCE, AND NO DUPLICATES ISSUED (caps in original!)." Also included is most of the envelope in which all of the reporters materials would have been enclosed. The press pass measures 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches with its original string. Excellent condition overall, with the envelope lesser.