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The War Bonds League auction was
conducted June 8, 1943, at a luncheon
in the ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria
Hotel, sponsored by the Treasury
Department and the New York and
Brooklyn chapters of the Baseball
Writers’ Association of America. The
brainchild of the assistant
administrator of the New York War
Saving Staff, John H. Callen, the
auction was the first stage of a War
Bond drive to raise a Billion dollars.
By the end of the season on September 8,
1943 the goal was met, by selling
$947,300,000 worth of Savings
certificates, plus $77,000,000 credited
to the Brooklyn Dodgers through
appearances at industrial pants.
Some 1,500 prominent business leaders, heads of corporations, and banks as
well as ordinary enthusiastic baseball
fans gathered in the great ballroom of
the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel to bid
fantastic sums in bonds for the
privilege of sponsoring various players
in a three month bond selling
competition. Seated at the dais were
the starting line-ups and four
pitchers, named by a committee of
baseball writers, 12 active players
from each the Yankees, Dodgers and
Giants, 36 in total. It was doubtful
that Brooklyn Dodger Freddie
Fitzsimmons would be active by the War
Bond Auction "Draft day", and was not
included as one of the 12 Dodger
players. The auction had hardly started
before unsolicited bidding started for
the 42 year old pitcher. Fitzsimmons
was added to the auction by popular
demand as the 37th player.
The principal auctioneer was former New York City Mayor Jimmy Walker. He
was assisted by broadcasters Red Barber
of the Dodgers and Mel Allen of the
Yankees.
The original 36 players were auctioned off in groups of three to the
highest bidders in War Bonds. The
highest bidder to that group was given
first choice of the three players, the
second highest bidder was given his
choice of the two remaining players,
and the third highest bidder won the
remaining player. The individual or
firm representative that purchased a
player became the players sponsor. The
three sponsors then proceeded to the
dais to join their players. The sponsor
of a player is committed to purchase
war Bonds in an amount equal to the
winning bid. Additional bonds were to
be purchased based on the players
actual performance from June 15,
through the close of the season as
Follows:
- -$2,500. in War Bonds
for each single made by his
player
- -$5,000. in War Bonds
for each Double
- -$7,500. in War Bonds
for each Triple
- -$10,000. in War Bonds
for each Home Run
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The sponsor of a pitcher was committed to $35,000. for each game
won unless the game won is a shut out,
in which case $50,000. in War Bonds. A
sponsor backing a pitcher was also
committed to the purchase of War Bonds
for any hits his player makes as
indicated above. Bidders that were
unsuccessful in obtaining players were
nevertheless committed to the purchase
of War Bonds in the amount equal to
their highest bid. The one day auction
total brought in by the War Bond League
Auction at the luncheon was
$88,500,000 with the addition of
$35,000,000. for a grand total of
$123,850,000.
The 10 page "Baseball War Bond League Luncheon" Program cover has a
baseball design both front and back
which reads "BUY More and More WAR
BONDS." Inside includes two page
rosters for each of the 3 teams, with
pictures of the players; 2 page "Rules
of the Baseball Auction," a menu for
the luncheon, a "War Bond Score" page,
and the event program page with
credits.
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