Nothing to Do with Baseball: On Writing

Sports writer Steven Goldman asks the question, "Is it possible to love your hero even more on the basis of reading an old letter?" in this posting on his blog Pinstripe Bible, read it at http://www.pinstripedbible.com/2011/04/29/nothing-to-do-with-baseball-on-writing/. By the way, I didn't have an illustration of base ball, which explains why this story is accompanied by an illustration of basket ball. And I believe I speak for all of us when I say we are pulling for the American League to win the Super Bowl this fall.

A Robert Benchley Letter on Being a Writer (as seen on Ebay)

How to Collect Benchley-ania

The Robert Benchley Society was contacted with by someone with this inquery:

We have a large glossy photo of Robert Benchley laying on a bed in his loud pajamas. He wrote my dad's name on it and signed it. (Probably a studio photo) It is glued to a scrapbook page. My mother wrote a little in the corner of it.

To which we responded:

Thank you for contacting the Robert Benchley Society. The piece you describe sounds like a still photo from Benchley's motion picture "How to Sleep" which won the Academy Award for Best Short Subject in 1935. The market for Hollywood collectible items is highly intricate with rarity, condition, and ever-changing public tastes affecting prices. Not being an expert in this field, I cannot suggest a valuation for such an item. You might take a look at ebay and other similar site, as Benchley items do come up from time to time.

From the Mail Bag

[Please note, we pass this on merely as an item of possible interest; the RBS is not in a position to pass comment favorable or unfavorable with regard to the dealer mentioned.]

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Hi David,

I am a longtime Vintage Paper Dealer who sells articles, stories, cartoons, illustrations, photos, prints etc. on all subjects. I lost a longtime collector for Benchley Vintage paper some months ago and am trying to find someone else who might have some interest. There is a variety of material but particularly, items from 34 volumes of Life Magazines from the teens, twenties and thirties--Benchley wrote most of the review pages and also many other humorous articles.

I would like to send you a package on approval--look it over and return the unwanted items with a check for what you keep. Its really that simple and has worked well for over twenty years. Email me any special wants and be sure to include your mailing address.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sandra Baker
Searsport, Maine
gallopingbeggar@adelphia.net

I am currently dealing with Kevin Fitzpatrick at the Dorothy Parker Society if you require a reference.

1950s Hotel Algonquin 21-Feature Match Book--NYC

I get this on Ebay recently!

This Lion 21-Feature match book is from the Hotel Algonquin on West 44th Street in New York City. The saddle reads: Ben B. Bodne, Pres. The sticks list their accommodations.

21-Feature --A Lion Match Co. trademark for a match book containing wide match sticks that were printed with lettering, designs or a combination of both (not to be confused with printed sticks). The standard 30-stick size match book held 21 wide stick feature match sticks in three rows of seven. The 20-stick size match book held 15 wide match sticks and was known as the Feature. Introduced September 1930. They are no longer made.