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An ink and colored pencil drawing of Yeoman Merriken, done on stiff card stock, as part of a Christmas greeting sent by Merriken's parents and signed by many friends and colleagues. The card stock, 11 x 9 in., depicts a portrait image of a smiling young sailor in a U.S. Navy cap, approx. 5 1/2 x 4 in., signed by the artist Jimmie Hartzell, accompanied by the message "Merry Christmas Sailor!" and surrounded by the signatures of numerous well-wishers. On the verso is a short note, in ink, to Roy from "Dad," approx. 85 words. Some abrasions to the cardboard verso (perhaps from being removed from a frame?), crack across one upper corner, slightly affecting a few words of the ink note. Among the signers of the card are Herbert R. O'Conor, Governor of Maryland; Theodore McKeldin, Mayor of Baltimore; P.H. Edwards, Principal of Baltimore City College; several members of the St. Bernards Drum & Bugle Corps; the City College Drum & Bugle Corps; and the 5th Regt. Drum Corps; etc. Merriken's father says it took him about two weeks to get everybody to sign which they were all glad to do, and that Mr. Clements got signatures from LeRoy's work friends as well. The address at the bottom of his father's note indicates that LeRoy, Jr. was posted to the fleet at Dutch Harbor, Alaska. In the May 14, 1943 issue of the Baltimore Sun LeRoy's name and photo, identifying him as a Yeoman (Third Class) appear along with other members of the armed services from his Asquith Street neighborhood of Baltimore. Merriken's father L.B. Merriken was a well-known photographer for the Baltimore Sun, working for the paper from 1924 until his retirement in 1980. He regularly attended opening day for the Baltimore Orioles, photographing the team for the paper. A copy of one of his photos of a visiting Babe Ruth is in the Hall of Fame. The Baltimore Sun cartoonist Jimmie Hartzell drew the first cartoon logo for the Baltimore Orioles, according to his obituary [see: the April 2, 2003 issue of the paper].
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