Unbound
1932 · Brooklyn
by FEWSTER, Leslie
Brooklyn, 1932. Unbound. Near Fine. Two-page Autograph Letter Signed. Approximately 275 words on Fewster Field stationary. With original mailing envelope postmarked Brooklyn, June 22 1932. Paper a bit torn and stressed at the folds, envelope torn at end and stained, overall good or better.
A rich account of the beginnings of Brooklyn's Fewster Field, written by Leslie Fewster, younger brother of the stadium's owner, Baltimore native and former Major League Baseball player, Wilson "Chick" Fewster. Leslie writes to another brother, Russell, and his wife Hellen, dispatching news from the field in the summer of 1932, when it was home to the semi-pro Brooklyn Kings: "[...] things up here have been going along pretty good but I am not making very much money as we are only playing Sat. & Sun. ball but next week I think they will be playing Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights as we had the lights for night base ball put in last week [...] ." The stadium, with a seating capacity of approximately 7,500, was a short-lived business venture for Fewster: it was insolvent by the end of 1932 and taken over by the city the following year. But in this letter, Leslie is optimistic: "Sunday's game there were about 3,600 here so by the way things are going it won't be long before we will be up to the 5,000 mark then things will be going great. I sure hope so for Wid [?] is in debt for about $2,500 at the hotel." Located at the south end of Brooklyn at Stillwell and Avenue Y, the grounds are still in use today as the athletic facilities of John Dewey High School. A short but compelling primary account of Depression-era semi-pro ball in the early days of night baseball. (Inventory #: 408458)
A rich account of the beginnings of Brooklyn's Fewster Field, written by Leslie Fewster, younger brother of the stadium's owner, Baltimore native and former Major League Baseball player, Wilson "Chick" Fewster. Leslie writes to another brother, Russell, and his wife Hellen, dispatching news from the field in the summer of 1932, when it was home to the semi-pro Brooklyn Kings: "[...] things up here have been going along pretty good but I am not making very much money as we are only playing Sat. & Sun. ball but next week I think they will be playing Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights as we had the lights for night base ball put in last week [...] ." The stadium, with a seating capacity of approximately 7,500, was a short-lived business venture for Fewster: it was insolvent by the end of 1932 and taken over by the city the following year. But in this letter, Leslie is optimistic: "Sunday's game there were about 3,600 here so by the way things are going it won't be long before we will be up to the 5,000 mark then things will be going great. I sure hope so for Wid [?] is in debt for about $2,500 at the hotel." Located at the south end of Brooklyn at Stillwell and Avenue Y, the grounds are still in use today as the athletic facilities of John Dewey High School. A short but compelling primary account of Depression-era semi-pro ball in the early days of night baseball. (Inventory #: 408458)