ALS, six pages on five 7.25 x 10.5 sheets, personal letterhead, December 22, 1959. Cobb writes to ‘Buster’ Putnam, son of San Francisco Seals owner George Putnam to set the record straight about the actions and truths of his father. Cobb also discusses his investing plan for shopping centers and the recent divorce and litigation from his wife Frances. In part, “I have for some time thought of writing you…I thought a great deal of your father, many, many others also. He had some very endearing qualities, he was a man whose word was as good as his bond, his thoughts and consideration of others was boundless, a personal charm about him, for instance, some would not like Charlie Strub, some did not feel close to good old…Charlie Graham, all of them liked your Dad, he did & accomplished so much for the organization, where Strub and Graham could not get close to others everyone liked ‘Patty.’…There are many people of fine sensibilities and when you earn the friendship of one of this class then you really are scoring…I know Buster, he has appeared at a disadvantage in your hays sight and hearing, and being young the…facts were tough especially at your young ages. I know all and the whole story, and I also know of his love for you boys & your mother, you might not have known or seen some of the things that murdered him! I know some of these, the man was hurt, hurt, hurt, disappointments rebuff to his very generous nature and some of his acts were to drown his sorrows…he paid the price in health and I knew he was paying. I worked with him many, many times. I would go with him…I went to protect him…I looked after his interests and let no one take advantage of his purse or payments. I have ridden with him when I feared though when he was drinking he would get at a ‘snails pace’ but at times he would not let me take the wheel. Approaching the last several months, he would entertain a group of baseball people from the East or someone of the Pacific Coast League (you know your Dad had to take all the baseball entertaining of Strub & Grahams hands)…I was always in your father’s debt in entertaining, so I most willingly take care of checks etc., when he would fall asleep…He was quite a guy Buster, women regardless of what anyone might have thought or said to you boys, your father and I never played the girls…So there you are a picture all truth at this late date.” Cobb goes on to discuss a potential investment in shopping centers out West. “You had experience with the shopping center and besides I had a personal desire to have you connected, though I remember you did want to bring a friend in on the trip, which was not in accord with Uncle Ty’s wishes or purse…I wanted no part of active participation. I did decidedly know of a real proposition when I saw it, the record of shopping centers successes was known, the land, location, population had mounted sensationally. I had the money.” In Cobb’s postscript, signed “T. R. C.,” he details his legal battle with his now ex–wife Frances, “I have been beseeched four different times to marry Frances again…If I get it once, I never wait for the swinging blow, guess I have told you it was strictly a lawyer control racket to shake me down. I don’t shake down for anyone also I do not scare easy…I got the divorce, no alimony of course.” There is a small jump in subject matter in the last two pages, more than likely a syntax issue from Cobb’s writing style, however, there is also the possibility of a missing page, which does not really affect the overall content of the letter. In 1918 the San Francisco Seals were purchased by Charles H. Strub, George Alfred (Alfie) Putnam and Charles H. Graham, each owning an equal one-third share. Strub put up the biggest share of the cash, Putnam was the promoter and Graham provided the baseball expertise. Putnam was a former sports writer of the Sacramento Bee and a born publicist and promoter. He staged boxing matches when the ballpark was not in use, scheduled semi-pro games on weekends when the Seals were on the road, booked barnstorming teams in the off-season and operated a winter league. In fine condition, with horizontal mailing folds, some scattered light wrinkling and a bit of mild toning. COA Steve Grad/PSA/DNA, COA Mike Gutierrez, and R&R COA.
