ALS, one page both sides, 8.5 x 14, Associated Features Inc. letterhead, no date. Lengthy response to a letter from Phil Pepe and Zander Hollander requesting a contribution for a book about sports. In full: “I was going to name the 10 best sports movies beginning of course with ‘Knute Rockne All American' & ‘The Winning Team’—(the life story of Grover Cleveland Alexander). It’s only coincidence that I played George ‘Gipper’ Gipp in one & ‘Old Alex’ himself in the other. But if I did that I’d have to list Gary Cooper in ‘The Lou Gherig [sic] Story,’ Jimmy Stewart in the ‘Story of Monte Stratton.’ Then there would be ‘Brian’s Song’ and the equally moving & touching story of Maurie Stokes—‘Big Mo.’
Come to think of it maybe I’ll switch categorys [sic] and relate my own choice for one of the unsung descriptive gems in football sportscasting. (See back)
Back in my sportscasting days a new program director and therefore my boss decided he wanted to get in on the Sat. afternoon games. He arranged to do this by teaming himself with me to do the pre-game and the between half color.
Our first team effort was an Iowa–Nebraska game in the U. of Iowa stadium. With 2 minutes of the 1st half remaining Nebraska was out in front 14–0. Then Iowa’s sophomore unknown—a lad named Ozzie Simmons who would become nationally known broke loose scoring 2 touchdowns in those 2 minutes. The half ended 14–14 and my new teammate was as wild as the crowd in the stadium.
He grabbed the ‘mike’ as the gun sounded and told our radio audience: ‘Ladies & Gentlemen down here in the purple haze of an Indian Summer afternoon—lightning has just struck twice with the rapidity of a serpent.’” Reagan also signed on the front, “I hope this might be helpful—Ronald Reagan,” and his handwritten return address has been clipped from the envelope and affixed to the upper left corner. In very good condition, with scattered toning, soiling, and dampstaining (most noticeable in a ring to the lower portion of the reverse). Accompanied by a softcover copy of the resulting book, published as The Book of Sports Lists in 1979, which leads off with the Reagan piece. After graduating from Eureka College in Illinois in 1932, Reagan was hired by the University of Iowa to broadcast home football games for the Hawkeyes. His success there earned him increasingly notable sportscasting positions, eventually announcing Chicago Cubs games for a Des Moines radio station that broadcast throughout the midwest. It was while covering the Cubs’ spring training in California in 1937 that Reagan took his first screen test, which earned him a film contract with Warner Bros. A great, detailed letter recalling his first job in the entertainment industry, with mentions of two of his most famous Hollywood roles. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA.
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