'Close of Play'

Neville Cardus and Irving Rosenwater, 1955. Two handwritten letters. The first, from Rosenwater to Cardus, dated 16th May 1955 and written on two sides of small ruled note paper, refers to Cardus’ appreciation of Gilbert Jessop. Rosenwater asks for the source relating to Jessop’s ‘famous innings of 104 at the Oval in 1902 [in which] Jessop “scored 50 in 55 minutes”: while in no way wishing to doubt the accuracy of this statement, I would be most grateful if you could give me the source of where that information came’. In his reply dated 19th May 1955 written from the National Liberal Club, London, Cardus states he too had ‘much trouble getting the right time of Jessop’s miraculous innings’ and quotes his source as the ‘M.C.C. Cricket Scores and Biographies (1925)’. Both letters signed by the respective correspondent, with the original envelope from Cardus. Very good condition.