Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Sydney, November 11: A Sydney bookseller has withdrawn from sale some personal letters penned by Sir Donald Bradman after learning that Australia’s greatest ever cricketer regarded the sale a betrayal.
Bradman, 92, wrote the private letters to his publisher between 1994-98 and the contents included personal reflections on the death of his wife, Jessie.
The publisher sold the letters to Sydney bookseller Paul Feain, who planned to sell them in Melbourne for an estimated Australian $ 20,000 (US $ 10,600).
Bradman was reportedly outraged that his former publisher had sold the letters.
“The last thing I want to do is upset such a great person as Sir Donald and all I can do is apologize for causing him any hurt”, Feain told Australian Associated Press on Saturday. “I’ve offended Sir Donald Bradman and that wasn’t the purpose of the exercise I’m a cricket fan and Sir Donald is an icon in Australia.”
The latest incident involving the former Australian captain comes less than a month after Prime Minister John Howard announced changes to Australian corporations law to restrict commercial use of Bradman’s name.
Corporations Law regulations would be amended so that companies cannot register a name which suggests a connection to Bradman.
