Description:

Berg Moe 1902 - 1972 The Catcher Was A Spy! Moe Berg's 1962 Memo Book filled with his thoughts on baseball expansion

Spiral Memo Book, 60 pages, 3.5" x 6", front and verso; 39 pages with writing, mostly in pencil. [New Jersey] May 1962. His name appears numerous times as "M. Berg," M.B.," and "Berg." Scuffed dark blue covers, partially loose at spirals. Internally sound. Fine condition.

Background

In 1932, Morris "Moe" Berg, a catcher, and pitchers Ted Lyons and Lefty O'Doul, began a tour of Japan to teach baseball seminars at Japanese universities. Berg returned to Japan in 1934 with a group of All Stars, including Ruth and Gehrig, to play against a Japanese all star team. Unbeknownst to his teammates, Moe Berg sneaked onto the roof of one of the tallest buildings in Tokyo and filmed the city and harbor with his movie camera. Berg was an infielder for the Brooklyn Robins (1923) and White Sox (1926-1927), and a catcher for the White Sox (1927-1930), Indians (1931, 1934), Senators (1932-1934), and Red Sox (1935-1939). During the summer of 1942, just months after Pearl Harbor, Berg screened the footage he shot of Tokyo Bay for U.S. Army intelligence officers. He worked with the OSS (Office of Strategic Services),forerunner of the CIA, in World War II.

Awarded the Medal of Freedom in 1946, Moe Berg refused to accept it; after his death in 1972, his sister accepted the award where it is now displayed at the Baseball Hall of Fame. Berg worked for the CIA from 1951-1953 where his baseball card is on display. He was a Mets fan and attended games usually sitting alone in the right field stands, wearing his customary black suit. A nurse at the hospital where he died said his last words were "How did the Mets do today?" The first place Mets had won 7-6.

His Memo Book

In part, "(1) Joe Cronin [American League President , 1949-1973], president American League in touch with Arthur D. Little. (2) CONFIDENTIAL re: Charles Finley [owner of Kansas City Athletics, moved them to Oakland in 1968] desire to move the Kansas City franchise American League to Dallas-Fort Worth... Finley sprang surprise on fellow magnates... Arlington mid-way between the two cities. Cronin said: 'no formal request & no formal action taken.' Reported most club owners willing. K.C's attendance 1961 fell to 683,817 (1955 year move from Philly 1,393,054." In ink, Berg adds on an opposite page: "shades of Earl & Roy Mack, Connie Mack's two sons coming to me as mediator to buy each other out - result: no mediation & move to K.C." Berg has written "Get attendance figures of better clubs with leases} (a) Milwaukee (Boston), (b) Baltimore (St.L.), (c) K.C. (A's: Philly), (d) Giants >S.F., (e) Dodgers > L.A. äó_ expansion (of M B - Buffalo Continental League 1960) 1961 - (1) Washington (Senators > Minnesota), (2) L>A> (Am. League. *drop in attendance Milwaukee K.C. (if Minnesota S.F., L.A. etc.) ENTHUSIASMäó_"

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