GUIDE to the collection of OFFICE of the COMMISSIONER: FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION National Baseball Hall of Fame Library Manuscript Archives National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum 25 Main Street Cooperstown, NY 13326 www.baseballhall.org Claudette Scrafford March 2013
Collection Number BA MSS 175 BL-125.2013 Title Office of the Commissioner: Finance & Administration Inclusive Dates 1924 1968; 1958 1966 (Bulk) Extent 2.66 linear feet (5 archival boxes) Repository National Baseball Hall of Fame Library 25 Main Street Cooperstown, NY 13326 Abstract This is a collection of reports, bank statements and correspondence relating to the office of the Commissioner. Preferred Citation Office of the Commissioner: Finance & Administration, BA MSS 175, National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY. Access By appointment during regular business hours, email research@baseballhall.org. Restrictions The Office of the Commissioner has placed a 50-year release restriction on financial documents and a 65-year release restriction on meeting minutes. Release dates included in finding aid. Property Rights Property rights are owned by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Copyright For information about permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the library. Scope and Content This collection gives an overview of the day-to-day general operation of the Commissioner s office, primarily during Ford Frick s tenure. It includes bank statements and monthly invoices from credit cards to miscellaneous office
supplies. Also included is correspondence relating to admission taxes, duties of a commissioner and the incorporation of MLB Properties. Controlled Access Terms These records are indexed under the following terms in the National Baseball Hall of Fame s Library catalog. Corporate Names Office of the Commissioner Major League Baseball American League of Professional Baseball Clubs National League of Professional Baseball Clubs MLB Promotion Corporation Personal Names Landis, Kenesaw Mountain, 1866-1944 Chandler, Albert B, Frick, Ford C, Subject Headings Finances Correspondence Agreements Collective labor agreements Content List Box 1 File Title Dates Bank Statements, cancelled checks Oct 1958 Dec 1960 Box 2 File Title Dates Bank Statements, cancelled checks Jan 1961 Oct 1962 Box 3 File Title Dates Folder 1 Baseball Winter League Account 1959 1961 - Bank statements Folders 2 8 are invoices received Folder 2 NY Telephone, Western Union 1959-1961 Folder 3 The Sporting News 1960-1961 Folder 4 Rockefeller Center, Inc. (rent, etc) 1959-1961 Folder 5 Transportation air, rail, rental 1959-1961 Folder 6 Credit cards, hotels 1960-1961 Folder 7 Legal, accounting 1960-1961 Folder 8 Expenses incurred 1960-1961
Box 4 File Title Dates Folders 1 5 are invoices received Folder 1 Printing 1960-1961 Folder 2 Health insurance 1960-1961 Folder 3 Balfour Co. 1959-1961 Folder 4 Miscellaneous expenses 1960-1961 Folder 5 Office supplies, etc 1960-1961 Folder 6 Chicago Joint Stock Land Bank 1940-1942 Folder 7 Estimated budget 1948 Estimated budget Release date Dec 1, 2018 1968 Folder 8 Amusement tax, correspondence 1924, 1926 Folder 9 Philadelphia Athletics, admission tax 1932-1934 Folder 10 IRS form 754, Collection of Federal Tax, Rev 1932 Folder 11 Admission tax, correspondence Jan-Aug 1932 Folder 12 Admission tax, correspondence 1933-1935, 1950 Folder 13 Revenue Bill of 1932 five booklets Revenue Revision, 1932 Report on Revenue Bill of 1932 May 8, 1932 Comparative Print 1932 Regulations 43 Rev. June 1932 Taxes on admission, dues, initiation fees Revenue Act, 1932 Box 5 File Title Dates Folder 1 Service charge on passes, correspondence 1939, 1941, 1946-47 Folder 2 Federal Admission Tax, correspondence 1942-1944, 1953 Folder 3 Elimination of tax on complimentary tickets 1942, 1948-1952 Folder 4 Correspondence, Repeal 20% amusement tax 1954 **four posters separated to BA MSS OVR, B2, F2 Folder 5 Admission tax reduction 1954 Folder 6 Admission tax modification 1956 Folder 7 Admission tax modification 1959 Folder 8 Admission tax questionnaires and summary 1965 Sent to all clubs by Frick Folder 9 Boston Bruins (NHL) proceeds to the American Red Cross Tax implications 1942 Folder 10 Wrigley, Philip K explains his position on reviewing candidates for commissioner position Feb 23, 1945 Folder 11 Proposed contract for commissioner May 1, 1945 Folder 12 Agreement to terminate Commissioner Chandler s contract as of July 15, 1951 Folder 13 Commissioner s job description sent to National League club owners May 31, 1951
Folder 14 Club executives correspondence Jun Aug 1951 Thoughts on the qualifications of a commissioner Folder 15 Funding of a US Team for the Pan-American games 1950-1951 Folder 16 Major League Executive Council s request to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue Jun 30, 1959 Folder 17 MLB Properties documents relating to its incorporation 1966 Folder 18 Coca-Cola proposed contract to MLB Properties 1966 Release date Oct 1, 2016 Folder 19 MLB Promotion Corp report of the Executive Committee 1967 Release date June 2017