The Hall of Fame ace Walter Johnson has signed this offered testimonial dinner program. The Washington Senators hurler was feted at the Shoreham Hotel on December 1st, 1932, five years after his wildly successful pro baseball career ended. Johnson won 417 games across 21 seasons, leading the Senators to the 1924 World Series title and claiming a pair of American League MVP awards. In recognition of his record-setting accomplishments, Johnson was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame as a member of its inaugural class in 1936 alongside Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, and Christy Mathewson.

This 6 x 9-inch testimonial dinner program shows a portrait of Johnson on the front cover, which has been folded vertically. Johnson has signed the cover of this program in black steel-tip fountain pen. Inside, the testimonial itself reads, in full, "To Walter Johnson - A quarter of a century has passed into history since you came to us from the land 'where the ghosts of buffaloes still dream.' Had you been an ordinary man of your profession you would have heard our applause in your hours of triumph and have witnessed our merciless 'thumbs down' in defeat—and passed into oblivion. But there was, and there is, nothing ordinary about you. For more than twenty-five years you have lived in the glare of pitiless publicity. And lived stainlessly. Loyalty—fidelity—straightforwardness—calm judgment—alertness—patience. These have ever been your characteristics. In victory, modest and generous. In defeat, undaunted, undismayed. We have seen you when the triumphant shouts of multitudes swelled into a roar and it seemed the very skies with acclamation rang. And we have been with you in the hour of sorrow and shared your grief. You have been an example and an inspiration to American boyhood. Greater praise can be sounded of no man. And so at the end of a quarter of a century—The citizens of the Nation's Capital salute you." This item comes with a LOA from JSA (X80099).

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