Home Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
Options

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone and I never thought instead of turkey, I was having "Whale" -

Yes everyone - it's Whale for Thanksgiving!

Major League "Indoor" Base Ball - 1912 - Philadelphia Manufacturing Co.

I've landed my "whale" of games - the "centerpiece of my collection" - I was not only amazed and happy but surprised since it went for the minimum bid.

I had confided in Butch over at the BB Game Forum who believed the game was legit - as did I. So, when it came and I looked with a 20X mag, I was happy to say - it's the "real deal." He also believed the game would go for 2 to 3 grand or more - so landing it for $998 bucks was like a dream.

Moreover, Butch astutely surmised that the fact that it wasn't listed in sports may have allowed it to fly under the radar?

There's two versions of the game - one with stars on it - the "Indoor" version and a more generic version sans the indoor that I believe came out afterwards.

image

The indoor version came out in 1912 and the game has no patent - "Patents Applied For."

image

The generic games appear to all have the patent number:

image

I further postulate that - perhaps - they came out with the "indoor" version and were immediately stopped from producing the game with the "likenesses" of all those ballplayers - many of them well on their way to the HOF - all - most likely - popular during this time period.

In fact, of the 16 players on the game board - 11 made it to the HOF!

Four HOF'ers were early in their careers - Speaker in 6th of a 22 yr career, Johnson 6th of 21 yrs, Baker 5th of 13 yrs and Cobb 7th of 24 years.

The five not in the hall: Kling, Dooin, Rucker, Beecher and Chase.

The game - overall - is in "Good" condition - the bottum being a bit better.

image

image

image

image

image

And here's the players:

imageimageimageimage

imageimageimageimage

imageimageimageimage

imageimageimageimage

The portraits on the game appear to be from the T206 set:

imageimage

I'll be spending time seeing how complete the game is - and fortunately I have spares from a partial game I bought years ago that I believe was an "indoor" version where they took the top off and framed it due to all the HOF'ers on it.

And last, as a game nut, I have to linnk the Patent to the game by Edgar Pohlig in 1912.

I don't want to sound like a school kid or anything - but this by far the best game I have ever put my hands on and am excited!!!!
Mike

Comments

  • Options
    lawnmowermanlawnmowerman Posts: 19,477 ✭✭✭✭
    Ok, I'll admit it Mike. I was expecting to see some kind of whale meat image
  • Options
    PiggsPiggs Posts: 1,934 ✭✭✭✭
    Great game and the pictures are awesome! Congrats on the pickup Mike. Doug
  • Options
    mccardguy1mccardguy1 Posts: 1,507 ✭✭✭
    You SHOULD be excited as this is a very cool item. I always want to imagine if 10 year old boys from the early 1900's were playing with this game as many of us did in the '60's and '70's.
    I am on a budget and I am not afraid to use it!!
  • Options
    DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,220 ✭✭
    WTG Mike ... this sounds like an amazing pickup for a CRAZY, INSANE, ABSOLUTELY NUTTY game collector like you! LOL Enjoy it and display it well.
    STAY HEALTHY!

    Doug

    Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
  • Options
    DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,220 ✭✭


    << <i>Ok, I'll admit it Mike. I was expecting to see some kind of whale meat image >>


    I don't want you to be disappointed on Thanksgiving Day Matt.
    image
    STAY HEALTHY!

    Doug

    Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
  • Options
    yankeeno7yankeeno7 Posts: 9,242 ✭✭✭
    I see Hal Chase in there. Apparently a great player but also a great gambler. I guess he bet on games and would even bet on games he played in and purposely play poorly to win his money.

    Whale is actually a common dish served in Iceland. As much as I love sushi, I think I would pass on the whale.

    Good stuff, Mike. You always have some very interesting items.

    Happy Thanksgiving to all!
  • Options
    PiggsPiggs Posts: 1,934 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>Ok, I'll admit it Mike. I was expecting to see some kind of whale meat image >>


    I don't want you to be disappointed on Thanksgiving Day Matt.
    image >>



    Someone must of got a Whale of Deal on that slab. LOL
  • Options
    lawnmowermanlawnmowerman Posts: 19,477 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>Ok, I'll admit it Mike. I was expecting to see some kind of whale meat image >>


    I don't want you to be disappointed on Thanksgiving Day Matt.
    image >>



    I appreciate you thinking of me Doug haha.
  • Options
    grote15grote15 Posts: 29,521 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Cool pickup, Mike!

    Lots of history behind a piece like that.

    Matt, don't tell me you'd never had fried whale sandwiches growing up, LOL!!


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • Options
    ldfergldferg Posts: 6,739 ✭✭✭
    Sweet piece. Always like seeing the items you pick up.


    Thanks,

    David (LD_Ferg)



    1985 Topps Football (starting in psa 8) - #9 - started 05/21/06
  • Options
    galaxy27galaxy27 Posts: 7,131 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Mike, you are the Shamu of vintage gamers. Every time I see a new thread I think to myself, "Oh sh*t, what did he find now..." And you never disappoint, my man.

    Awesome, just awesome.
  • Options
    baseballfanbaseballfan Posts: 5,451 ✭✭✭
    Fantastic!

    Congrats, nice holiday treat.
    Fred

    collecting RAW Topps baseball cards 1952 Highs to 1972. looking for collector grade (somewhere between psa 4-7 condition). let me know what you have, I'll take it, I want to finish sets, I must have something you can use for trade.

    looking for Topps 71-72 hi's-62-53-54-55-59, I have these sets started

  • Options
    JBrulesJBrules Posts: 2,116 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Mke, that is cool beyond measure! Congrats for getting it and for getting it at a great price!
  • Options
    TJMACTJMAC Posts: 864 ✭✭
    That is a really cool item. I love that it has the likenesses of the players from the era.
  • Options
    yankeesmanyankeesman Posts: 944 ✭✭✭✭
    Awesome pickup! Congrats on spearing your whale!
    Don Mattingly, Yogi Berra, Thurman Munson, Brian McCann and Topps Rookie Cup autograph collector
    www.questfortherookiecup.com
  • Options
    PorkinsPorkins Posts: 604 ✭✭✭
    Congrats on picking up such a wonderful and interesting item, Mike!
  • Options
    calaban7calaban7 Posts: 3,002 ✭✭✭
    Nice pick up Mike . As stated above , every time you start a thread , I wonder what cool item is it going to be , this time .

    Someday you may have so many of these that you might have to start a sports memorabilia museum .

    Again , nice pick up . ----- Sonny
    " In a time of universal deceit , telling the truth is a revolutionary act " --- George Orwell
  • Options
    jmaciujmaciu Posts: 1,290 ✭✭✭
    Mike, this is such a terrific find. Your game threads are always a very interesting. Thanks for sharing.
  • Options
    StingrayStingray Posts: 8,843 ✭✭✭
    Cool items!!
  • Options
    winkywinky Posts: 1,671
    Great game. I was expecting a big whale stake also. image
  • Options
    As a card guy, my favorite part of the game is the cards. Very cool! I wonder if there's a market for them by themselves. I'm sure there is. Cool pickup Mike, congrats!
  • Options
    Bosox1976Bosox1976 Posts: 8,535 ✭✭✭✭✭
    image

    Way to go, Mike!

    That is awesome.
    Mike
    Bosox1976
  • Options
    Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Thanx everyone for all the kind words.

    Sharing my number 1 pickup means a lot to me.
    Mike
  • Options
    WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    Nice pickup Mike!

    Good for you.
  • Options
    FINESTKINDFINESTKIND Posts: 374 ✭✭✭
    That's a great looking game.
  • Options
    thenavarrothenavarro Posts: 7,497 ✭✭✭
    Mike,

    That's a TREMENDOUS piece. Great pickup.

    Mike
    Buying US Presidential autographs
  • Options
    bigdcardsbigdcards Posts: 1,190 ✭✭✭
    Mike, this is one of the coolest things I've seen here in a long time. I really dig this whole side of your collection. Thanks for sharing.
    To bigdcards: "you are right" - cpamike "That is correct" -grote15
  • Options
    lamontcarterlamontcarter Posts: 748 ✭✭✭
    Mike

    The game looks awesome. Most excited about your excitement.

    Congratulations!

    Scott
  • Options
    LarkinCollectorLarkinCollector Posts: 8,975 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Thought the thrill of the chase is gone, I hope you continue to get enjoyment out of finally owning it. Congrats on a great pickup, great price, and thanks for continually sharing and educating with your threads!
  • Options
    Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Thanx once again for the kind words everyone!

    Hi Steve.



    << <i>from LarkinCollector: Thought the thrill of the chase is gone, I hope you continue to get enjoyment out of finally owning it >>

    Hiya Kyle - I'm thinking you meant "though?" And I sure understand your sentiment. Someone asked me: "now what?" Snagging a whale is important but game collectors are always looking for the uncatalogued games and there's many.

    Like this one that I picked up recently and Butch, et.al., from the BB Game Forum were really enthralled with this pickup. I wouldn't be surprised if there's way more games to be discovered than uncatalogued cards?

    image

    Though I have not named everyone specifically, I appreciate each and every person who has given me compliments. Everyone here who's nuts about collecting knows how important this personally is. Happy Thanksgiving.
    Mike
  • Options
    tsalems1tsalems1 Posts: 3,373 ✭✭✭
    That is a nice piece!
    www.OPCBASEBALL.com

    Email: OPCBASEBALL@YAHOO.COM

    Follow OPCBASEBALL.COM on Facebook
  • Options
    LarkinCollectorLarkinCollector Posts: 8,975 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>from LarkinCollector: Thought the thrill of the chase is gone, I hope you continue to get enjoyment out of finally owning it
    Hiya Kyle - I'm thinking you meant "though?" And I sure understand your sentiment. Someone asked me: "now what?" Snagging a whale is important but game collectors are always looking for the uncatalogued games and there's many. >>


    Yes, you understood correctly, sorry for my typo image Best of luck with the next hunt!
  • Options
    WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    Hi Mike. image
    Good for you.
Sign In or Register to comment.