Lot # 2097: 1842 Alexander Cartwright Signed Receipt - PSA/DNA

Receipt signed by Alexander Joy Cartwright, one of the founding fathers of baseball. PSA/DNA has encapsulated the receipt and certified the signature as "Authentic." The receipt is dated January 27, 1842, and records a payment to E. Blanehan (sic). Aside from Blanehan's signature along the base, the receipt has been filled out entirely in Cartwright's hand. Cartwright's signature, "Alex J. Cartwright," has been beautifully scripted in black ink along the top. In addition, a Cartwright handwritten notation appears as well. Alexander Cartwright, who was one of the original members of the New York Knickerbockers, is credited with having formulated many of the modern rules of baseball in 1846. He left New York in 1849 and headed west to claim his fortune during the California gold rush. Failing to hit "pay dirt," he traveled on to Honolulu, Hawaii, where his fortunes quickly improved. Within two years he opened his own firm as a whaling and commission merchant. The business soon expanded to include matters of banking, handling of trust estates, insurance, and real estate, which later led to the formation of Cartwright and Company Ltd., a firm that survives to this day. Manual Paiko was one of the first Portuguese to settle in Hawaii, and he ultimately became a successful cattle merchant. He was a long-standing client of Cartwright's, and both men were considered among the Island's most prominent businessmen. Cartwright later became an advisor to Hawaii’s royal family. In addition to introducing the game of baseball to the Hawaiian Islands, Cartwright is also credited with founding the first fire department in Honolulu. Cartwright died in 1892 at the age of 72. His contributions to the game of baseball were formally recognized in 1939 when he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The receipt (7-5/8 x 2-5/8 inches) displays a few creases and light toning. In Good condition overall.