Pictorial History Committee Newsletter Supplement Number 2008:3 September 2008

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1 Pictorial History Committee Newsletter Supplement Number 2008:3 September 2008 A Serene and Splendid View This photo appeared in SABR s spring 1986 The National Pastime (TNP): The caption read, A serene and splendid view of a Cubs game of However, according to the Chicago History Museum (CHM) caption for the same photo, this is a White Sox game played at their home South Side Park, photo created or published in CHM captions are known to be unreliable. Which caption, if either, is correct? An obvious starting point is to ask: Where was this photo actually taken? The best approach is to try to compare ballpark features in the TNP photo with features from other identified ballpark photos. At the bottom, opposite page, is shown a conference prior to or during a 1914 Cubs game at their home West Side Grounds. The configuration of the West Side Grounds outfield billboards and seating is clearly very different from that shown in the TNP photo, hence Conclusion: The splendid view is not a view of a Cubs 1914 home game PHC Newsletter Supplement June

2 Chicago Historical Society SDN Chicago Historical Society SDN Johnny Evers of the Miracle Braves and the Cubs Tommy Leach chat with the umpires before or during a 1914 game in Chicago. PHC Newsletter Supplement June

3 Next, let s try comparing the TNP photo with a known photo of South Side Park, the pre- June 1910 home of the White Sox. TNP photo Confirmed photo of South Side Park The arrows above indicate just a few of the many matching features in the two photos. Conclusion: location is White Sox home South Side Park Chicago Hist. Society SDN When was this photo taken? Since ballpark billboards usually changed from year to year, it is likely that the above photos, with identical billboards, were taken the same year. A verified 1906 World Series photo is shown here, right. The billboards and the elevated RF scoreboard match the above photos. Hence, 1906 may be the correct date. PHC Newsletter Supplement June

4 Before settling on 1906 as the correct year for the TNP photo, let s compare it to the South Side Park billboard configuration one year earlier, in To the right is the scoreboard and the billboards just below it from the TNP photo with the possible date of This magnified image, right, from the confirmed South Side Park photo provides a clearer view of the same billboard. Just below is the Cubs Doc Casey at an October 1905 Cubs-White Sox city series game at South Side Park. The 1905 billboard just below the elevated scoreboard is clearly different from that seen in the TNP picture. Chicago Historical Society SDN This photo shows Charlie Hickman at South Side Park in 1907, his only year with the White Sox. Here it is seen that the previously elevated RF scoreboard has been moved to ground level, where it remained in subsequent seasons. Since the billboards and scoreboard location match the 1906 World Series photo, but do not match the 1905 and 1907 photos, dating the TNP photo to 1906 is a reasonable conclusion. Conclusion: the year is 1906 Chicago Historical Society SDN PHC Newsletter Supplement June

5 Are the Cubs in this photo? The Cubs did play some World Series games at South Side Park in If this is a 1906 World Series photo, the TNP caption would be partially correct in that the Cubs were present. There are two problems with the Cubs being in this picture. The first is that the 1906 World Series games at South Side Park featured overflow crowds in the outfield. That is not the case in the TNP photo. The second problem is that the Cubs did not wear dark road uniforms during the 1906 World Series. Nor did they wear white uniforms with white socks (the other possibility in the above photo). They players in the white uniforms with white socks are the White Sox. Conclusion: the Cubs are not in this photo Based on the images to the right, the likely visitors for this 1906 contest would be either New York or Detroit. From Baseball Uniforms of the 20 th Century So, the correct caption is: A serene and splendid view of a White Sox game of 1906 Notes [1] Where are the umpires?, queried Lefty Blasco. A good question indeed. Under magnification, a single umpire can barely be seen behind the pitcher. This umpiring scheme, while still common in 1906, would have been very unlikely in PHC Newsletter Supplement June

6 Chin Music In the previous issue a question was raised as to the identity of the c1890 player to the right, shown in a photo from the San Diego Genealogical Society. My first instinct was that it might be Parisian Bob Caruthers (see comparison just below). Hall of Fame curator Tom Shieber had the same initial feeling (as did reader Catherine Petroski). Bob Caruthers However there is a problem with identifying this player as Caruthers. Both Caruthers and the mystery player have a horizontal crease across the chin. The crease in the Caruthers photo is very close to the lower lip. The crease in the unknown player photo is much farther from the lower lip. Therefore the unknown player cannot be Caruthers. distances from lip to crease To the right are shown 3 images of Brooklyn short timer Charlie Reynolds, with the unknown player far right. In this case a comparison of the lip to chin crease distance, below right, indicates that Reynolds is a candidate for the mystery man s identity. Charlie Reynolds Further comparison of the left ear in the unknown photo indicates a good match to Reynolds. Tom Shieber believes that the mystery man may be Reynolds. I am convinced that he is. PHC Newsletter Supplement June

7 Alex s Pal Identified The image right, courtesy of Cappy Gagnon, includes Notre Dame alum Alex McCarthy on the left, who played for the Pirates and Cubs, The identity of the guy on the right was the question posed in the last issue? Cappy and Bob Hoie believed it to be Claude Hendrix. The resemblance is demonstrated directly below. Hendrix The identity is confirmed via ear matching with another Hendrix photo. Hendrix Still a Mystery The name of this c Athletic remains a mystery. A white elephant is being offered to anyone who can identify him. PHC Newsletter Supplement June

8 New Mysteries from Steve Steinberg The image near right, courtesy of the Mike Mumby collection, appeared in the 1911 Spalding Guide team headshot composite for the 1910 Cincinnati Reds. It was identified as Bob Bescher. Is it Bescher (far right)? Why or why not? Mumby Collection The photo below, comes courtesy of the Dennis Goldstein collection, and appears to involve the early 20 s Cardinals. Can anyone add further details? Bescher? Bob Bescher Dennis Goldstein Collection The opinions expressed in this supplement are those of the author. Supportive or contrary opinions from readers are strongly encouraged. Also, if you have a mystery photo that might be an interesting subject for a future column, please submit it to Mark Fimoff, bmarlowe@comcast.net. PHC Newsletter Supplement June