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Trying to decipher a letter and could use some help...

OuthaulOuthaul Posts: 7,440 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited May 2, 2020 11:46PM in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum

The letter is from retired Red Sox player Tony Lupien to someone named Don. I'm trying to figure out who Don is and to find out any info on his scouting activities for Montreal. He was 66 years old at the time of this writing. Tony was from my hometown of Chelmsford, MA. In this letter he talks of the radical change in the game. This could, perhaps refer to free agency? That could make this letter fairly significant considering his part in the change. It reads:

June 7 - 83

Dear Don,

Just a note to thank you for your kind letter. Have enclosed a picture for you.

Am doing a little scouting in New England for Montreal. Not a big deal, but at
least am able to keep my hand in the game.

Altho' I am happy here, I must confess that I miss the players and people we
associated with before the whole baseball scene changed so radically.

Thank you for your kind words

Sincerely,

Tony Lupien

Comments

  • GreenSneakersGreenSneakers Posts: 913 ✭✭✭✭

    My guess is he’s referring to the fallout of the 81 strike. Players were a bitter for a while after that. Just my guess tho.

  • OuthaulOuthaul Posts: 7,440 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Still trying to figure out who "Don" is.

  • mrmoparmrmopar Posts: 1,055 ✭✭✭✭

    Could be a fan, The only thing in the letter that makes me think Don could be associated with baseball is when Tony says the "people WE associated with", implying he and Don associated with the same people. It could also just be the way Tony expressed himself. Meaning, maybe he meant "we" as in all the folks he associated with and does not include Don.

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  • IronmanfanIronmanfan Posts: 5,488 ✭✭✭✭
    edited May 14, 2020 6:24AM

    @mrmopar said:
    Could be a fan, The only thing in the letter that makes me think Don could be associated with baseball is when Tony says the "people WE associated with", implying he and Don associated with the same people. It could also just be the way Tony expressed himself. Meaning, maybe he meant "we" as in all the folks he associated with and does not include Don.

    I agree....If it was a friend of his, he wouldn't be enclosing a picture (nor using his last name in the closing).

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  • dennis07dennis07 Posts: 1,842 ✭✭✭

    Lupien's last year was 1948. He says he enjoyed the players and people they associated with until things changed so radically. Think about it.

    Collecting 1970 Topps baseball
  • orioles93orioles93 Posts: 3,479 ✭✭✭✭✭

    He played with Don Grate and Don Hasenmayer in 1945 with Philadelphia. Could be one of them, maybe catching up with an old teammate? His wording is suggesting maybe the color barrier being broken in baseball? Kind of like dennis07 said, he played until 1948 and that was about when baseball was changing radically. Also he played for Philadelphia and Ben Chapman.

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  • OuthaulOuthaul Posts: 7,440 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 15, 2020 5:25AM

    But the date of the letter suggests the big change of the time, not the past. Could be a reference to free agency. After all, Lupien was heavily involved in the labor end of the game, re: _Imperfect Diamond _the book he co-wrote with regard to labor relations in the game. As both Dons were still alive at the time, it may very well be one of them. However, I missed my opportunity as the last Don passed away in January of this year.

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