Norman Small papers

Collection

Identifier: BA MSS 292

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

A collection of scrapbooks and photographs relating to the minor league career of Norman Small. The scrapbooks are composition style books and include newspaper clippings, letters, postcards, and game accounts. The pages are dated with an occassional notation. At the end of each season, Harry, Norman's father, did a statistical summary. In the 1933 scrapbook, is a telegram from Eddie Collins to Small about not accompanying the team. The 1942 scrapbook, Mooresville Moors, has Hoyt Wilhelm on the team. Also of note, in the 1943-1946 scrapbook, glued to a page, are Small's rank badge and battalion patch from his time in the Army. There is a manuscript for a book related to these scrapbooks by Chris Holaday, including a letter to Small, and a micro-cassette of an interview. The book was never published.

Dates

1932-1999, undated

Conditions Governing Access

Materials are open without restrictions but viewing materials does require an appointment. Please contact the Giamatti Research Center, research@baseballhall.org, 607-547-0330.

Conditions Governing Use

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum provides use copies of materials to facilitate private study, scholarship, and research. The Museum welcomes you to use materials in our collections that are in the public domain and to make fair use of copyrighted materials as defined by copyright law and with proper citation. Permission to publish materials must be obtained from: Giamatti Research Center, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, 25 Main St., Cooperstown, NY 13326 Phone: 607.547.0330 E-mail: research@baseballhall.org

Biographical/Historical note

Norman "Norm" Woodnut Small was born in Glen Cove, NY on November 6, 1913. He was the son of Mary (Woodnut) and Harry Small.

Small began playing baseball at a young age and was an ace pitcher during his time at Friend Academy in Locust Valley, NY. After completing his schooling, Small played a couple of years with independent teams. In 1934, he left New York and attended Ray Doan's Baseball School in Hot Springs, AK where he was scouted by the St. Louis Cardinals.

A shoulder injury prematurely ended his pitching career but he was still valued as a hitter. In 1935, Small would temporarily leave professional baseball to play for the Carolina Textile League but was quickly picked up by the outlaw Carolina League. He was married on August 29, 1937 to Sarah Sherrill at the Durham Bulls ballpark.

In 1943, Small enlisted in the Army and would serve for the remainder of World War II. He was in the 97th Division where he was sent first to Czechoslovakia and then later in occupied Japan.

Small would play for a variety of minor league teams from 1934 through 1953.

Norman Small passed away on December 24, 1995 in Mooresville, NC.

Extent

2.58 Linear feet (1 storage carton box, 1 clamshell box, 1 negative box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The collection documents Norman Small's career in Minor League Baseball. It contains scrapbooks, photographic materials, a manuscript, and a micro-casette.

Arrangement note

The collection is arranged into two series: Series I. Photographic Materials, Series II. Scrapbooks

Physical Location

PS 7-46 and PC 4-9; Manuscript Archives, Aisle 3, Range b, Shelf 3; Photo Archives, Aisle 4, Range L, Shelf 3

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift (BL-81-2018)

Processing Information note

Photographic materials processed by Kelli Bogan in 2018. Preliminary finding aid created in 2018. Scrapbooks and manuscript materials were placed in acid-free folders and into a storage carton by Claudette Scrafford in 2018.