GUIDE to the JOSEPH S BRANZELL COLLECTION
National Baseball Hall of Fame Library
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum 25 Main Street Cooperstown, NY 13326
www.baseballhall.org
Collection Number BA MSS 114 BL-390.2001
Title Joseph S Branzell Collection
Inclusive Dates 1953 – 1996
Extent 11.05 linear feet (25 archival boxes)
Repository National Baseball Hall of Fame Library 25 Main Street Cooperstown, NY 13326
Other Repository The Historical Society of Washington, D.C. Joseph S. Branzell Papers, MS 591
Abstract This collection gives great insight into the life of a Major League scout. It includes correspondence, agreements, player drafts, reports and statistics.
Preferred Citation Joseph S Branzell Collection, BA MSS 114, National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY.
Access By appointment during regular business hours, email [email protected].
Property Rights This National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum owns the property rights to this collection.
Processing Information This collection was processed by Claudette Scrafford in the spring of 2011.
Biography Joseph S. Branzell was born in Georgetown, MD in 1918. In 1931, he became a charter member of the Georgetown Branch of the Washington Boys Club. His relationship with the Boys Club and the passion for team sports that he developed there would remain throughout his life. After serving in the Navy during WWII, Joe returned to the Georgetown Boys Club to begin a lifetime of providing leadership and guidance. Joe coached and managed many Boys Club teams. In 1955, its most successful year under the sponsorship of E.K. Morris, owner of the Federal Storage company, they dominated the local Clark C. Griffith Memorial League and won four AAABA championships between 1955 and 1962.
Joe served as Director of the new Jelleff Boys Club on S Street in Georgetown from 1953 to 1961. Branzell left the Boys Club in 1962 to begin a 35-year career as a major league scout. While scouting for the Washington Senators and later the Texas Rangers, he signed major leaguers Tom Brown, Mike Stanley, Dick Bosman, and Billy Sample to contracts.
Sources: bigtrain.org, Historical Society of Washington, D.C.
Scope and Content This collection is organized by subject matter and chronologically. Provenance was maintained except for the removal of photos, audio and video recordings and oversize materials.
This collection gives an insight into the life of a major league scout. A great collection of Free Agent Drafts and Reports and what scouts look for in high school and college athletes. The detailed notes, statistics and travelling from tournament to tournament, camp to camp, all year long, proves that one must be dedicated to this profession.
See Also Scout subject files; National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY
Separations Ten photos were separated to the Photo Department. Twelve organizational record books were separated to Central Archives. Three spring training media guides, 1991, 1993, 1994 were separated to the Spring Training Collection. Eight audio/video recordings were separated to the Audio/Video Department.
Controlled Access Terms These records are indexed under the following terms in the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Library catalog. Researchers wishing to find related materials may wish to search under these terms.
Corporate Names Washington Senators Texas Rangers Baltimore Orioles Major League Baseball Minor League Baseball Major League Scouting Bureau Georgetown Boys Club All American Amateur Baseball Association (AAABA) York Colonial Baseball Tournament
Personal Names Branzell, Joseph S., 1918 - 1997 Klein, Joseph, 1942 -
Subject Headings Scouts Scouting Statistics Correspondence Amateur Baseball Tournaments Interviews Agreements Reports
Content List Box 1 File Title Dates Folder 1 Branzell’s employment contracts 1961 – 1989 Performance plans 1986 – 1989 Independent Contractor Agreements 1990 – 1996
Folder 2 Scouting agreement, Senators and Brannan 1960s -Branzell was scouting supervisor
Folder 3 Correspondence, MacPhail and Branzell 1965 -Director of Amateur Baseball position
Folder 4 Blank scouting agreement, Senators 1960s
Folder 5 Blank scouting agreement, Rangers 1981
Folder 6 Travel & expense voucher forms, Senators
Folder 7 Scout’s planned weekly itinerary form, Senators
Folder 8 Assortment of business cards
Folder 9 Frank McGowan’s talk to scouts April 2, 1960 “Judgment-the first ingredient in scouting” Jack Baker’s orientation talk to Minor League 1960 players, “Taking care of your tools” Pre-season drills, list of 10, hand-written
Folder 10 Umpire examinations 1959, 1962, 1966 Division of Amateur Sports Baseball Umpire 1970 Information booklet
Folder 11 Instructional aids – equipment, books, films 1965 – 1968
Folder 12 American Association of College Baseball Coaches Jan. 1966
Folder 13 Seating charts, D.C. Stadium 1960s
Folder 14 Texas Rangers auto lease information 1984 – 1990 -insurance, mileage forms, repairs
Box 2 File Title Dates All forms/sheets are blank Folder 1 Grading system criteria n/d
Folder 2 Professional Club Report form, Senators n/d
Folder 3 Acceptance of Terms and Consent to re-selection n/d
Folder 4 Waiver forms signed at Senators tryout camps n/d
Folder 5 College Scholarship Plan, IRS form n/d
Folder 6 Amateur team report sheets n/d
Folder 7 Athletic Motivation Inventory questionnaire n/d
Folder 8 Minor League player roster sheets n/d - Senators tryout camps
Folder 9 Confirmation of offer to free agents, Senators n/d
Folder 10 Players signed other clubs sheets n/d
Folder 11 Player Information Sheet, Senators n/d
Folder 12 Batting evaluation form n/d
Folder 13 Pitchers charting form, Senators n/d
Folder 14 Player questionnaire form, Senators n/d
Folder 15 Minor League spring training information 1969 Housing requirement form, Senators
Folder 16 Invitation to tryout camp, Rangers n/d
Folder 17 Confirmation of offer to free agents, Rangers n/d
Folder 18 Free agent report form, Rangers n/d
Folder 19 Uniform player contracts, Rangers 1973, 1976 National Association of Professional Baseball League
Folder 20 Prospect personal information form, Rangers n/d Evaluation form, scouting slip
Folder 21 List of players observed in order of preference n/d Of acquisition form, Rangers
Folder 22 Player questionnaire, four styles, Rangers n/d
Folder 23 Various scouting form, other clubs n/d
Box 3 File Title Dates Folder 1 Mid-Atlantic Major League Scouts 1970 Baseball Association schedule booklet
Folder 2 Mid-Atlantic schedule, copy 2 1970
Folder 3 Various summer schedules 1970
Folder 4 Mid-Atlantic Major League Scouts 1971 Baseball Association schedule booklet
Folder 5 Various schedules, correspondence 1971
Folder 6 Correspondence, scouting staff and territories 1975 – 1990
Box 4 File Title Dates Folder 1 Senators scouting manual 1961
Folder 2 Rangers scouting manual 1975
Folder 3 Rangers scouting manual 1980 – 1981
Folder 4 Rangers scouting manual 1985
Folder 5 Rangers scouting manual 1988
Folder 6 Rangers scouting manual 1990
Folder 7 Rangers scouting manual, pages 55 – 86 1991
Folder 8 Rangers Off-Season Conditioning Program 1993
Box 5 File Title Dates Folder 1 Incoming memos 1976 Folder 2 Outgoing memos 1976 Folder 3 Incoming memos 1977 Folder 4 Outgoing memos 1977 Folder 5 Incoming memos 1978 Folder 6 Outgoing memos 1978 Folder 7 Incoming memos 1979 Folder 8 Outgoing memos 1979 Folder 9 Incoming memos 1980 Folder 10 Outgoing memos 1980 Folder 11 Incoming memos 1981 Folder 12 Outgoing memos 1981 Folder 13 Incoming memos 1982 Folder 14 Outgoing memos 1982 Folder 15 Incoming memos 1983 Folder 16 Outgoing memos 1983
Box 6 File Title Dates Folder 1 Incoming memos 1984 Folder 2 Outgoing memos 1984 Folder 3 Incoming memos 1985 Folder 4 Outgoing memos 1985 Folder 5 Incoming memos 1986 Folder 6 Outgoing memos 1986 Folder 7 Incoming memos 1987 Folder 8 Outgoing memos 1987
Box 7 File Title Dates Folder 1 Branzell’s speech, Texas Award Banquet Feb. 5, 1988
Folder 2 Incoming memos 1988 Folder 3 Outgoing memos 1988 Folder 4 Incoming memos 1989 Folder 5 Outgoing memos 1989 Folder 6 Incoming memos 1990 Folder 7 Outgoing memos 1990
Folder 8 Incoming correspondence, personal 1990 Folder 9 Incoming correspondence, personal 1990
Box 8 File Title Dates Folder 1 Incoming memos 1991 Folder 2 Outgoing memos 1991 Folder 3 Incoming correspondence, personal 1991 Folder 4 Incoming memos 1992 Folder 5 Outgoing memos 1992 Folder 6 Incoming correspondence, personal 1992
Box 9 File Title Dates Folder 1 Incoming correspondence, personal 1993 Folder 2 Incoming correspondence, personal 1993 Folder 3 Outgoing memos 1993 Folder 4 Incoming correspondence, personal 1994 Folder 5 Incoming correspondence, personal 1995
Box 10 File Title Dates Folder 1 Appalachian League team reports 1965 -Nolan Ryan, Marion BBC
Folder 2 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1965 Folder 3 Draft Selection meeting Nov. 29, 1965 Folder 4 Free Agent Draft Jan. 1966 Folder 5 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1966 Folder 6 Free Agent Draft Jan. 1967 Folder 7 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1967 Folder 8 Free Agent Draft Jan. 1968 Folder 9 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1968 Folder 10 Free Agent Draft Feb 1969 Folder 11 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1969 Folder 12 Free Agent Draft Jan. 1970 Folder 13 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1970 Folder 14 Free Agent Draft Jan. 1971 Folder 15 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1971 Folder 16 Free Agent Draft Jan. 1972 Folder 17 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1972
Box 11 File Title Dates Folder 1 Free Agent Draft Jan. 1973 Folder 2 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1973 Folder 3 Free Agent Draft Jan. 1974 Folder 4 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1974 Folder 5 Free Agent Draft Jan. 1975 Folder 6 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1975 Folder 7 Free Agent Draft Feb 1976 Folder 8 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1976 Folder 9 Major League Expansion Jun-Sep 1976 Folder 10 Paul Rudiman contracts 1977 -Minor Leagues 1977-1980 Folder 11 Free Agent Draft Jan. 1977 Folder 12 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1977 Folder 13 Free Agent Draft Jan. 1978 Folder 14 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1978 Folder 15 Free Agent Draft Jan. 1979 Folder 16 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1979
Box 12 File Title Dates Folder 1 Free Agent Draft Jan. 1980 Folder 2 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1980 Folder 3 Free Agent Draft Jan. 1981 Folder 4 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1981 Folder 5 Free Agent Draft Jan. 1982 Folder 6 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1982 Folder 7 Free Agent Draft Jan. 1983 Folder 8 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1983 Folder 9 Free Agent Draft Jan. 1984 Folder 10 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1984 Folder 11 Free Agent Draft Jan. 1985 Folder 12 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1985
Box 13 File Title Dates Folder 1 Free Agent Draft Jan. 1986 Folder 2 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1986 Folder 3 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1987 Folder 4 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1988 Folder 5 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1989 Folder 6 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1990 Folder 7 Free Agent Draft Jun. 1991 Folder 8 Possible prospects 1995 Folder 9 Syracuse Chiefs scouting reports July 1979 Folder 10 Prospect Follow Reports, East Coast 1977-1979, 1981, 1994-1995
Box 14 File Title Dates Folder 1 Free Agent Reports 1962
Folder 2 Scouting Reports, approx. 80 Major Leaguers 1977 12 encapsulated – Phil Garner, Reggie Jackson Gary Maddox, Eddie Murray, Mike Schmidt Steve Carlton, Gene Garber, Ron Guidry Phil Niekro, Jim Palmer
M.L.S.B. = Major League Scouting Bureau Folder 3 M.L.S.B. Correspondence 1981 Folder 4 First-Year Player Reports 1981 Free Agent Reports Hand-written notes on Follows Folder 5 Prospects – notes, correspondence 1981
Folder 6 M.L.S.B. Correspondence 1982 Folder 7 First-Year Player Reports 1982 Free Agent Reports Prospects See also Box 1 oversize, Prospect sheets
Folder 8 M.L.S.B. Correspondence 1983 Folder 9 First-Year Player Reports 1983 Free Agent Reports Prospects and Follows
Folder 10 M.L.S.B. Correspondence 1984 Folder 11 First-Year Player Reports 1984 Free Agent Reports Released Players Apr – Aug 1984 Folder 12 Prospects and Follows 1984
Box 15 File Title Dates Folder 1 M.L.S.B. Correspondence 1985 Folder 2 First-Year Player Reports 1985 Free Agent Reports Folder 3 Prospects and Follows 1985
Folder 4 M.L.S.B. Correspondence 1986 Folder 5 First-Year Player Reports 1986 Free Agent Reports Folder 6 Prospects and Follows 1986 Folder 7 M.L.S.B. Free Agent Reports 1986 Folder 8 M.L.S.B. Prospect Follow Reports 1986
Folder 9 M.L.S.B. Correspondence 1987 Folder 10 First-Year Player Reports 1987 Free Agent Reports Folder 11 M.L.S.B. Free Agent Reports Spring 1987 Mid-Atlantic area
Folder 12 M.L.S.B. Free Agent Reports Spring 1987 Florida area
Folder 13 Prospects 1987 See also Box 1 oversize, Prospect sheets Folder 14 M.L.S.B. Prospect Follow Reports 1987
Box 16 File Title Dates Folder 1 M.L.S.B. Correspondence 1988 Folder 2 First-Year Player Reports 1988 Free Agent Reports Folder 3 M.L.S.B. Free Agent Reports 1988 Folder 4 Prospects 1988 See also Box 1 oversize, Prospect sheets Folder 5 M.L.S.B. Prospect Reports 1988 Mid-Atlantic area Folder 6 M.L.S.B. Prospect Follow Reports 1988 Florida area
Folder 7 M.L.S.B. Correspondence 1989 Folder 8 First-Year Player Reports 1989 Free Agent Reports Folder 9 Prospect Follow Reports 1989 Folder 10 M.L.S.B. Free Agent Reports 1989
Box 17 File Title Dates Folder 1 First-Year Player Reports 1990 Free Agent Reports Folder 2 M.L.S.B. Free Agent Reports 1990 Folder 3 Prospect Follow Reports 1990 Remove from Follow- 2 Prospect Summary – 1
Folder 4 First-Year Player Reports 1991 Free Agent Reports Folder 5 M.L.S.B. Free Agent Reports 1991 Folder 6 Prospect Follow Reports 1991
Folder 7 First-Year Player Reports 1992 Free Agent Reports Folder 8 M.L.S.B. Free Agent Reports 1992 Folder 9 Prospect Follow Reports 1992 Remove from Follow reports
Box 18 File Title Dates Folder 1 Statistics 1981 Folder 2 Statistics 1982 Folder 3 Statistics 1983 Folder 4 Statistics – Rangers Organization Records 1984 Folder 5 Statistics 1984 Folder 6 Statistics 1985 Folder 7 Statistics 1986
Box 19 File Title Dates Folder 1 Statistics 1987 Folder 2 Statistics 1988 Folder 3 Statistics 1989 Folder 4 Statistics 1990
Box 20 File Title Dates AAABA = All American Amateur Baseball Association Folder 1 AAABA Annual Tournament, rosters 1953 - 1954 Wash D.C. Boys’Club, Branzell, manager
Folder 2 AAABA Annual Tournament, rosters 1955 – 1959 Federal Storage, Branzell, manager
Folder 3 AAABA Annual Tournament, rosters 1960 – 1962 Federal Storage, Branzell, manager
Folder 4 AAABA Annual Tournament, rosters 1963 – 1966 Branzell attends as a scout
Folder 5 AAABA Annual Tournament, rosters, notes 1967 - 1970 Folder 6 AAABA Annual Tournament, rosters, notes 1979 - 1981 Folder 7 AAABA Annual Tournament, rosters, notes 1982 - 1985 Folder 8 AAABA Annual Tournament, rosters, notes 1986 - 1989
Box 21 File Title Dates Folder 1 York Colonial Baseball Tournament, rosters 1980 Folder 2 York Colonial Baseball Tournament, rosters 1982, no 1981 Folder 3 York Colonial Baseball Tournament, rosters 1983 Folder 4 York Colonial Baseball Tournament, rosters 1984 Folder 5 York Colonial Baseball Tournament, rosters 1985 Folder 6 York Colonial Baseball Tournament, rosters 1986 Folder 7 York Colonial Baseball Tournament, rosters 1987 Folder 8 York Colonial Baseball Tournament, rosters 1988 Folder 9 York Colonial Baseball Tournament, rosters 1989 Folder 10 York Colonial Baseball Tournament, rosters 1990 Folder 11 York Colonial Baseball Tournament, rosters 1991 Folder 12 York Colonial Baseball Tournament, rosters 1992
Box 22 File Title Dates Folder 1 York Colonial Baseball Tournament, rosters 1993
Folder 2 Winter Instructional League, Northern Division 1976 Orioles, Mets, Expos, Reds, Tigers, Phillies
Folder 3 Miscellaneous scouting reports Florida League, Tigers Oct. 1977 Florida Instructional League, Royals Nov 1980
Folder 4 Cape Cod Baseball League rosters 1979 Florida Junior College Conference program 1981 American Legion World Series program 1981
Folder 5 Delaware Today, Judy Johnson on cover May 1977 - autographed
Folder 6 World Series program 1974 -autographed Frank Robinson
Folder 7 Wilson Official Scorebook, blank
Box 23 Scouting Index Cards – Alphabetical by team, player, 1950s – 1963 - Cumberland, MD Tryouts, 1963 – 1965 - Alphabetical player information cards, 1960s Box 24 1965 Scouting Index Cards - North and South Carolina Schools - Free Agents - Legion Tournaments - Eastern Seaboard Labor Day Weekend tournament - D.C. College fall program - West Carolina League - Appalachian League
Box 25 Travel and Expense Yearly Ledgers, 1975 – 1994 Variety of business cards
Box 1, Oversize Folder 1 Prospects 1982
Folder 2 Prospects 1986
Folder 3 Prospects 1987
Folder 4 Prospects 1988
Folder 5 Bunker Hill Baseball Team 1955 American Legion Junior Baseball team Newspaper articles
Audio/Video Cassette #1 - Tribute Banquet for Joe Branzell, April 22, 1978 - Joe Kline talking about Billy Sample - Calvin Griffin - Ralph Hawkins, Baltimore Colts - Donald Strain, Dean Smith - Claude Bradfield
Cassette #2 - Branzell discusses Rangers, scout, testimonials from friends - Bob Wolf to Joe, circa 1980s
Cassette #3 Side 1 - John Ogden talks about himself, career - Howard Hindman interviews Branzell Side 2 - Howard Hindman musings on trip, Lefty Smith was POW
Cassette #4 - “Memories of Arlinton Stadium”, commercial product
Cassette #5 - Song: “I believe in the Mets” by Locke Wallace Music
VHS tapes - An All-Star Season, 1993 Baltimore Orioles
- Welcome Home, 1992 Baltimore Orioles Inaugural Season at Oriole Park at Camden Yards
- Orioles Baseball: Miracles on 33rd Street - Moments between 1954 - 1991