Thanks for posting! I especially like seeing the back of the Sox card. I don't know how many people realize that postcards were used for other reasons than correspondence.
I'm guessing that is Comiskey in the middle? Please, keep sharing.
I will be posting once I get back to work and can use the scanner.
I'm happy that you and Storm have taken to this thread. I'm looking forward to tomorrow!
I think the diversity issue is well addressed when this board meets the fullest obligation of its title: "SCs and Memorabilia." PCs are certainly among the most ammusing memorabilia to me; I MUCH prefer them to regular cards, at this point in my life.
Baseball PCs are the most interesting to me, but there are some great FB cards, too. Stadiums are probably the most widely collected sports PCs, but some of those interest me more than others do.
I am going to send PSA some PCs as soon as I become less lazy. Also, I will start a PC thread at the non-sports forum when my lazy streak leaves.
storm
Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
<< <i>Are you getting tired of these? If so, I'll stop posting. I'm having a great time showing them. My family could care less and I collect alone in this town, so this is fun for me. Thanks for the space to show them. Joe >>
Joe! If you stop posting pics of your collection, one of us will "hunt you down" and tweak your arm or something! Please keep posting!
<< <i>Tomorrow I will post my Holy Grail of postcards. I think you will agree that it is a very special card. >>
And it just keeps on getting better?! I'll be looking forward to seeing your idea of The Holy Grail soon!
I think I'll hit a couple of antique places this weekend near my house.
Maybe I'll find something?
mike >>
It may take some real scrounging -- through more than one or two stores -- but you can probably find SOMEthing! I saw an old baseball game at one booth last weekend and thought of you. When it comes to the postcards, I was elated to notice that the biggest sellers had them sorted by category. That's makes it sooo much easier and quicker!
If you go, let us know! If nothing else, it's just great fun looking at stuff older than me! (I may not let this old-age thing rest, compadre! )
And I'm going thru MAN-O-PUSS!!! Old dudes can get cranky.
I'm lucky - I don't find much to get too absorbed about.
Well, last weekend was an exception.
>>
Aaahhh, I can rest easy that I'm not the oldest postcard in the bin. hehe. Hope the woodpeckers don't bother you this weekend...or however the "storyline" went...
Hi Everyone, This postcard was the Holy Grail of postcards, ( well for me at least). Printed by H.M. Taylor in 1907 for the Detroit Club. A very young Ty Cobb is seated 2nd row, 3rd form the left. It is one of the earliest images of Cobb, if not the earliest. The Dietsche series of Detroit players is also from 1907. I treasure this card as much as I do my T206 Cobb Red portrait. Postally used it clearly shows the date 1907.
W.C.Fields "I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
One more for today. A really neat picture of a semi pro player. The message reads, Sam Moore Pitcher Halifax Professionals. Tomorrow another rare postcard depicting HOFer's and a deaf player. There is quite a market for deaf players. I just learned of this about 2 weeks ago, when a card I bid on went for much more that I thought it would. Hope you are enjoying this thread as much as I am. Joe
W.C.Fields "I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
<< <i>Hi Everyone, This postcard was the Holy Grail of postcards, ( well for me at least). Printed by H.M. Taylor in 1907 for the Detroit Club. A very young Ty Cobb is seated 2nd row, 3rd form the left. It is one of the earliest images of Cobb, if not the earliest. The Dietsche series of Detroit players is also from 1907. I treasure this card as much as I do my T206 Cobb Red portrait. Postally used it clearly shows the date 1907. >>
Joe- That is an awesome Cobb! Great find! Please, keep posting. At the last Ft. Washington show there was a dealer that had a great Cobb RPPC for sale. It was Cobb sliding into home. The image of Cobb was perfect. There was some paper loss on the front. Unfortunately it was out of my price range, but I still have his info if you are interested.
<< <i>Hi Everyone, This postcard was the Holy Grail of postcards, ( well for me at least). Printed by H.M. Taylor in 1907 for the Detroit Club. A very young Ty Cobb is seated 2nd row, 3rd form the left. It is one of the earliest images of Cobb, if not the earliest. The Dietsche series of Detroit players is also from 1907. I treasure this card as much as I do my T206 Cobb Red portrait. Postally used it clearly shows the date 1907. >>
Oh, Joe, that "Detroit Club" w/Cobb is awesome. I hope you don't mind if I "borrow" your images just so I can enjoy them when I'm offline -- and maybe use them as my "PC pc" wallpaper! Thanks a lot for taking the time and effort to share these gems.
Again, having that postmark of '07 really helps authenticate this piece to me. Otherwise, seeing it -- even in person? -- could leave some room for doubt with the ability to age paper (per storm's shared info) nowadays.
You said you had 100+ vintage postcards in your collection?? Well, CU has plenty of disk space so keep 'em coming, please!
<< <i>Here is an un identified ball club from 1911. Really sharp image for a 95 yr old card. One of my favorites. If anybody has any idea's as to the location of the team, please feel free to chime in.
Tomorrow I will post my Holy Grail of postcards. I think you will agree that it is a very special card. P.S. Are you getting tired of these? If so, I'll stop posting. I'm having a great time showing them. My family could care less and I collect alone in this town, so this is fun for me. Thanks for the space to show them. Joe
>>
Joe! I just Googled "wna baseball team 1911" and found this link on a West Nottingham Academy which had a baseball team in 1911!
Check it out and see if you think this may be your team!
Mike, Awesome detective work!! I took it a step farther and e-mailed the atheletic director at Nottingham to see if this team is actually from there. I also asked if possible did he have a rooster from the team. I didn't e-mail the scan of the card yet for fear that he might think a virus was attached. If he replies, I will send it to him. More vintage cards on the way later. Joe
Thanks Tom, But at this time it prolly is out of my price range too.
Mike, You may use all my images for as long as you like. I agree about the postmark. I have little doubt that it is authentic. It is a very special piece. They do pop up on e-bay from time to time, but I would imagine if I had to purchase it now it would be priced a little to steep for me.
W.C.Fields "I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
Here I am again. New York giants postcard. Post mark 1907. Copyright by J T Dye 1905. Published by Souvenir Post Card Co. N.Y. This Greeting from the Giants card could be used as a score card for a game you attended. Funny though, that the Giants are on top line and they would be the visitors. Oh well, they were experts in printing postcards, not baseball. The card features 2 Hofer's (Mathewson and Iron Man McGinnity) and Dummy Taylor, the deaf player I mentioned yesterday. Dummy is with the Buffalo team in the T206 set. All these players exept Mertes are in the T206 set. Joe
W.C.Fields "I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
Here is a 60s SK that you should keep a look-out for. I saw one yesterday for $175.00. In California antique shops, you might find them in the "clearance bins," if the shop owners are not into sports. (They go on eBay from about 25.00 up to 125.00 +/-, but they are VERY seldom seen on eBay.)
Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
In the H is Duke Kahanamoku (Goudey SK card #20) "Invented" modern surfing. Buy them, if you see them; they are scarce. (Make sure they are real.) eBay prices $10 to $120.00; seldom found on eBay anymore. Condition is VERY important on all 60s cards, even the "scarce" ones. Discounts for corner bumps are substantial.
Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
Storm, Who is that in the first postcard (SK)? And why is it so expensive. All I see is a guy standing by the pool. thanks for being patient with me. Joe
W.C.Fields "I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
Storm, Who is that in the first postcard (SK)? And why is it so expensive. All I see is a guy standing by the pool. thanks for being patient with me. Joe
Sandy Koufax. He bought a motel and this was one of the cards they used to promote the place. (I will get the backs up as soon as I open the box; probably tomorrow.)
The SK card is sought after because it is not real common to see shots of sports stars out of uniform on PCs. If you see 'em cheap, grab 'em and throw 'em up on eBay; the last one I saw, I think was close to $100 and it was kinda doggy.
storm
Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
Is there any clue on the back to let someone know that is Sandy Koufax?? I recognize him, having gotten started watching baseball when those d-ang Dodgers beat the Twins in the '65 World Series!
I'll be looking for this one in the bargain bins!
Thanks for sharing -- again!
Joe,
I can't believe the pictures you have! I love the format of that "Greetings..." card! You've all got me scouring eBay listings now for unique pieces. I probably won't buy anything too expensive, but I'll be looking for under- or mis-titled cards...eBay's version of the "bargain bin'!
Nice Giants team postcard. Not often you get multiple HOFers on one piece! You must have a great selection of cards! Thanks for sharing!
Storm- Thanks for posting. I know there is a whole group of "Large Letter" postcard collectors out there. I've seen some that have Stadiums in one of the letters, but one with a great athlete like you are showing is fantastic.
Mike- Keep searching. Ebay has some great bargains if you work at it.
Here is a card I just picked up. It is my first chrome stadium card. These are the sellers pics, I should have access to a scanner next week to start posting my own stuff.
It is Sicks Stadium, the one year home of the Seattle Pilots. Suggested reading is Jim Bouton's Ball Four, a first person account of life on that Pilots team.
BTW- Seattle is a great city. I went there a few years ago to watch a M's game. Lots of fun.
Thanks guys for the Kudos. I really enjoy this thread.
Storm, Duh!! I shoulda known that SK was Sandy. My bad, and a nice card at that.
Tom, Nice stadium card. I see some nice ones available but I have to focus on one thing or my spending gets out of hand. I do have a few stadium cards that I picked up in a lot and I will try to post some later. More postcards to come. Joe
W.C.Fields "I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
Im pretty sure that that is Ruth at bat. Can't be positive, but I have seen it advertize in auctions as Ruth. So you gotta take that with a grain of salt. Postcard for the day is a neat item beause it has has add province with the pictures that are with it. Its the 29th battery team from WWI. Players are matched with names on the back. I believe this came from a collection from Percy Mason, back row, 3rd form the left. Chow is being served in the two pictures.
W.C.Fields "I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
One more for today. This depicts the team from Limerick, Maine Postmarked July 2nd, 1907. The cards notes are really neat. Let me read it to you. "This is the team does um up brown. Played 11 games and won 10. The fellow with the cross (1st row, 2nd from the left) sprained his ankle at Steep Falls and wont be able to play with us 4th of July. We play Fort McKinley. I wish you might come over.Tell mother the air beans an taters be groin terrbal. Give my love to aunt Julia and Uncle George. Your affectionate c???, Art"
W.C.Fields "I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
Joe, More great pics. I'm always impressed at how serious the turn of the century ball players look in those team shots. That is awesome that you have the photo provenance to go with the 29th battery team. Keep 'em coming!
Here are a couple of prelinen postcards, one of Braves Field and one of Fenway Park. Both are divided back and unused.
Braves Field was home to the Braves from 1915 until 1952 when they moved to Milwaukee. It hosted the Red Sox home World Series games in 1915 and 1916 because it had a larger capacity. Today a portion of the park remains as part of Boston University's Nickerson Field. The pictured Gaffney Street ticket office is now a child care center and security office for B.U. Braves Field hosted the longest game in Major League history, a 1-1 tie bewteen the Dodgers and Braves, May 1, 1920.
Fenway Park opened April 20, 1912 as the Sox beat the Highlanders (now the Yankees) 7-6 in 11 innings.
Both cards are divided back and are unused. The Baker Bowl is an especially tough card to locate from my experience.
The Baker Bowl was opened in 1895, seated 18,800, and is considered the first "modern" baseball ballpark. The Phillies played here until 1938. The park became obsolete as concrete and steel stadiums started to replace brick and wood parks. The Baker Bowl was the site of Babe Ruth's last major league game in 1935.
Shibe Park opened in 1909 and featured an ornate French Renaissance facade with a Beaux Arts tower at its main entrance. The A's played here until they moved to K.C. at the end of 1954. The Phillies played here until 1971. Shibe Park was the site where Lou Gehrig became the first A.L. player to hit four homers in a game in 1932 and was the site of Ted Williams going 6 for 8 on the last day of the season in 1941 to hit .406.
Here are three postcards from Franklin Field. It is the football stadium at my alma mater. The top and bottom postcards are unused undivided back postcards. You can see on the bottom card there was space left for a message. The middle card is postally used from 1910. The message says "Rc'd your postal from Ind. Can't you come down now a couple of days? My roommate is away. BCG 1038 Cherry St."
Franklin Field is the University of Pennsylvania's stadium for football, field hockey, lacrosse and track and field (and formerly for soccer). It opened in 1895 at a cost of $100,000 for the first running of the Penn Relays. The Field, deemed by the NCAA as the oldest stadium still operating for football, was the site of the nation's first scoreboard in 1895, and became the nation's first two-tiered football stadium in 1925. The current stadium structure was built in the 1920s after the original wooden bleachers were torn down. The lower tier was built in 1922 and the second tier was added in 1925. Franklin Field was once the largest two-tiered stadium in the United States. Today, the stadium seats 52,593.
It was also the home of the Philadelphia Eagles from 1958 until 1970. The Eagles hosted the 1960 NFL Championship Game here, defeating the Green Bay Packers, 17-13 in Packers coach Vince Lombardi's only career playoff loss. Also on August 23, 1958, the first Canadian Football League game was played at Franklin Field, as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeated the Ottawa Rough Riders, 13-7; this game marked the first and only time that two Canadian football teams would play on American soil.
Franklin D. Roosevelt accepted the nomination for his second term at Franklin Field on June 27, 1936. On that occasion, he delivered one of his most famous speeches. Here is an excerpt, including one of the great phrases of FDR's presidency:
"Governments can err, Presidents do make mistakes, but the immortal Dante tells us that divine justice weighs the sins of the cold-blooded and the sins of the warm-hearted in different scales. Better the occasional faults of a Government that lives in a spirit of charity than the consistent omissions of a Government frozen in the ice of its own indifference. There is a mysterious cycle in human events. To some generations much is given. Of other generations much is expected. This generation of Americans has a rendezvous with destiny."
Not sure if anyone is reading this thread, but here is a few more. All these postcards are divided back unused postcards.
Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball park located at in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York. It was the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers of the National League. Two different incarnations of a Brooklyn Dodgers football team also used Ebbets Field as their home stadium.
Ebbets Field was on the block bound by Bedford Avenue, Sullivan Place, McKeever Place and Montgomery Street. Club owner Charlie Ebbets acquired the property over several years, starting in 1908, by buying parcels of land until he owned the entire block.
The park opened on April 9, 1913, replacing the old Washington Park. It was the scene of some early successes, as the "Robins" (so-called for long-time manager Wilbert Robinson) won league championships in 1916 and 1920. Then the team slid into some hard times for a couple of decades, until new ownership brought in player development genius Branch Rickey. In addition to his well-known breaking of the color line by signing Jackie Robinson, Rickey's savvy with farm systems produced results that made the Brooklyn Dodgers "Bums" a perennial contender, which they would continue to be for decades to come. Ebbets hosted the 1949 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
Rumor says that is Charles Comiskey leaning over the railing
The park was built on a former city dump that Comiskey bought in 1909 to replace the wooden South Side Park. Comiskey Park was very modern for its time, being constructed of concrete and steel and seating 29,000, a record at the time. Briefly, it retained the nickname "The Baseball Palace of the World." The park's design was strongly influenced by Sox pitcher Ed Walsh, and was known for its pitcher-friendly proportions (362 feet to the foul poles, 420 feet down the middle). Later changes were made, but the park remained more or less favorable to defensive teams. For many years this reflected on the White Sox style of play: solid defense, and short, quick hits. The 1959 American League Most Valuable Player, Nellie Fox, who led the White Sox to the 1959 American League championship, was known for his frequent hit production.
The first game in Comiskey Park was a 2-0 loss to the St. Louis Browns on July 1, 1910. The last game at Comiskey was a win, 2-1, over Seattle on September 30, 1990. The White Sox won their first-ever home night game, over St. Louis on August 14, 1939, 5-2.
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales. It was also the home of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League from 1921-1970.
The ballpark was originally named Weeghman Park for the Whales' club owner, Charles Weeghman, who obtained a 99-year lease on the property from the city. The field became the home of the Cubs following the 1915 season when the Federal League was disbanded. Weeghman had gained part ownership of the Cubs, and moved the club to his new north side facility, abandoning legendary (and wooden) West Side Park.
Chewing gum magnate William Wrigley, Jr. was part of that group of investors, led by Weeghman, which purchased the team. Wrigley gained full ownership in 1919 after Weeghman suffered financial setbacks and had to sell his shares. The field was then called Cubs Park from 1920 to 1925 before it was expanded and named after Wrigley in 1926; "Cubs Park" is still sometimes used as an alternate name. It is one of two parks that was named for William Wrigley; there was a Wrigley Field in Los Angeles that was home to the Los Angeles Angels, a Pacific Coast League team which Wrigley also owned.
The famous 1907 Dietsche postcard set. This set contains mostly Detroit players, (noteable Cobbs first card). But it did contain a few Cubs. This is Orvall Overall.
W.C.Fields "I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
Storm, Thanks for the feedback. I've got more to come.
Joe, Great card. I've seen the Dietsche cards around a bit, they look great. I'm guessing it is no surprise they use Cubs and Tigers as subjects, those were the top teams around that time. There does seem to be a lot of real photo postcards of Cobb around. He must have been the most popular player before Ruth.
I look for this thread and hope to keep seeing more of your colorful, historical collections! I'm always going through boxes and boxes of postcards at stores and shows -- nothing new purchased as of late...
<< <i>Great thread, some real nice examples. Here's a 1907 Morgan Stationary Red Belt, I love early color:
>>
The color in these old cards is spectacular! Also, I've noticed some of the old-time shoes these players wore. How the heck did they run in those things without tripping all over themselves?!
Guys, Thanks for the Kudo's. I thought everyone was getting tired of this thread so I held off posting for awhile. Glad to see some new faces on it . BTW, Some great PC's everyone has!! Stone, I believe this was from e-bay but was listed wrong? Can't remember, but I know I got a great deal on it. If memory serves me, Cobb has 2 poses in this set and they are regarded as his rookie, if postcards are considered cards. Some great debate about this. Earlier I posted the Detroit Team of 1907, maybe that is his earliest picture. Anyways, I have some more cards and will post another later. Take care, Joe
W.C.Fields "I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
Here are a few more, coast to coast. Hope the history is interesting.
I love the images of the Polo Grounds. In the top one you can see the bluff and rural Manhattan of the early 1900s. In the bottom you can see the bathtub shape of the stadium which made it a very strange place to play baseball
The original Polo Grounds was located at 110th Street and Sixth Avenue (now Lenox Avenue), just outside the north edge of Central Park and occupied by buildings for several generations now. The other three were all located at 155th Street and Eighth Avenue (now Frederick Douglass Boulevard). The latter site, on which a public housing project now stands, is overlooked to the north and west by a steep promontory known as Coogan's Bluff.
The "third" and "fourth" Polo Grounds were actually the same ballfield. The 1890 structure had initially had a totally open outfield bounded by just the outer fence, but bleachers had been gradually extended around during the subsequent 20 years until the entire field was enclosed with seating. Early in the 1911 season, fire destroyed the main grandstand and part of the right field bleachers. Those sections were rebuilt in a steel and concrete double-deck, with the rest of the bleachers left as they were. The new 1911 structure is the point in time from which the Giants dated the opening of the final (i.e. "fourth") version of the Polo Grounds. The team tried to rename the new structure "Brush Stadium" in honor of their owner, but the name did not stick, and it died with him. The remaining old bleachers were demolished during 1923 when the permanent double-deck was extended around most of the rest of the field and new bleachers and clubhouse were constructed across center field.
This version of the ballpark had its share of quirks. The "unofficial" distances (never marked on the wall) down the left and right field lines were 279 and 258 feet respectively, but there was a 21 foot overhang in left field, which often intercepted fly balls which would otherwise have been catchable and turned them into home runs. Contrasting with the short distances down the lines were the 450-some foot distances in the gaps, with straightaway center field 483 feet distant from home plate; the catch that Willie Mays made in the 1954 World Series against the Cleveland Indians would likely have been a home run in almost any other ballpark of the time. The bullpens were actually in play, in the left and right center field gaps. The outfield sloped downward from the infield, and people in the dugouts often could only see the top half of the outfielders.
Next, a couple of old minor league stadiums from the PCL: Wrigley Field, home of the L.A. Angels and Gilmore Field (in the top left), home of the Hollywood Stars.
The park was built in South Los Angeles in 1925 and was named after William Wrigley, the chewing gum magnate who owned the first tenants, the original Los Angeles Angels minor-league team. Wrigley also owned the Chicago Cubs, whose home is a more famous park named after him. The Los Angeles Wrigley Field was built to resemble a Spanish-architecture and somewhat scaled-down version of the Chicago ballpark (known then as Cubs Park) as it looked at the time. It was also the first to bear Wrigley's name, as the Chicago park was named for Wrigley several months after the L.A. park's opening. At the time, he owned Santa Catalina Island, and the Cubs were holding their spring training in that island's city of Avalon (whose ballfield was located on Avalon Canyon Road and also informally known as "Wrigley Field").
With its location near Hollywood, Wrigley Field was a popular place to film baseball movies. Among the most well known movies filmed there were The Pride of the Yankees and a movie version of the stage play Damn Yankees. It later found its way into television, serving as the backdrop for the Home Run Derby series in 1959, a popular show which featured one-on-one contests between baseball's top home run hitters, which had a brief revival in 1989 when it aired on ESPN. Episodes of shows as diverse as The Twilight Zone and The Munsters were also filmed here.
Gilmore Field sat between Gilmore Stadium (a football field) and the famous Pan-Pacific Auditorium, along Beverly Boulevard. Both facilities were named for an early settler who struck oil on this property, part of Rancho La Brea where the famous tar pits are still a tourist attraction of proportions only slightly better than the Trees of Mystery in northern California.
The Stars were owned by Bob Cobb of Brown Derby Restaurant fame and the inventor of the California Cobb Salad. In their salad days, as it were, the Stars attracted glamorous actors and other celebrities or anyone else who wanted to be "seen", much as Dodger Stadium would later. One of the L.A. Angels players, Chuck Connors, made a successful move from one side of the box seat railing to the other, becoming a popular TV star.
Although Wrigley Field seemed to get the lions' share of screen time, Gilmore Field also had its moments on celluloid. It was featured in a movie called The Monty Stratton Story, starring James Stewart and June Allyson, the true story of a promising pitcher whose career was curtailed due to a hunting accident that left him with an artificial leg. Stratton's major league baseball career was over, but he made a comeback at the minor league level. The scenes at the end of the movie were set elsewhere, but were filmed at Gilmore Field.
Here's a twist: this is the all-time best selling postcard according to Guinness books from the '70s and '80s. Suprisingly, it took me a long time to find:
“Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.” - George Carlin
Here is a linen postcard of Sportsman's Park in St. Louis
Sportsman's Park was initially owned by the newly-formed Browns of the American League, who began play in St. Louis in 1902 after moving from Milwaukee. They initially placed the diamond at the northwest corner of the block. Within the decade they had rebuilt the old facility in steel and concrete. The diamond was relocated to the southwest corner, where it stayed. The previous wooden grandstand was retained as left-field bleachers for awhile, but was soon replaced with permanent bleachers. The Cardinals came on board as tenant in mid-1920 after abandoning the outdated, mostly-wooden Robison Field.
Although the Browns had been the stronger team in the city for the first quarter of the century, they had never been quite good enough to win a pennant. After the previously weak Cardinals moved in, the two teams' situations started to reverse, both on and off the field. Eventually, so did the ownership of the ballpark. The 1944 World Series between the Cardinals and the Browns, won by the Cardinals 4 games to 2, was perhaps a good metaphor for the two clubs' respective situations.
The Busch family of brewery fame bought the Cardinals in the early 1950s, and soon acquired the venerable park from the cash-strapped Browns, renaming it Busch Stadium starting in 1953. The next year, the Browns were in Baltimore. The brewery originally wanted to name the ballpark Budweiser Stadium. Ford Frick, the Commissioner of Baseball, vetoed the name because of public relations concerns over naming a ballpark after an alcoholic beverage - an arguably hypocritical attitude, given all baseball clubs' significant revenues from beer sales. However, the Commissioner could not stop August Busch from renaming it after himself, and so he did.
Columbus Postcard. League Champions 1905-6-7. 5 major leaguers are pictured on this minor league postcard. Some that have been to the majors and some on the way to the majors. Columbus printed a 16 PC set, but only 2 are Baseball related. This one and one of the Stadium.
W.C.Fields "I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
A special thanx for tkd for the really nice writeups!
Now to really date myself - I have been to old Yankee Stadium, the Polo Grounds and Ebbets Field.
Even as a child, I could see the difference in size - Ebbets seems so much more cozy and friendly.
But for those who have never been to a major league park - I should also add frequented - I will tell ya, even in the bleachers of Yankee Stadium, you see a lot of the same people and you can actually create casual friendships. Season ticket holders make friends for life!
thanx again guys This is one of the top ongoing threads! mike
Comments
<< <i> Are you getting tired of these? If so, I'll stop posting >>
Joe
I never get tired of looking at stuff like this!
thanx for taking the time to post them
mike
Thanks for posting! I especially like seeing the back of the Sox card. I don't know how many people realize that postcards were used for other reasons than correspondence.
I'm guessing that is Comiskey in the middle? Please, keep sharing.
I will be posting once I get back to work and can use the scanner.
I'm happy that you and Storm have taken to this thread. I'm looking forward to tomorrow!
///////////////////////////////////////
No.
I think the diversity issue is well addressed when this board
meets the fullest obligation of its title: "SCs and Memorabilia."
PCs are certainly among the most ammusing memorabilia to me;
I MUCH prefer them to regular cards, at this point in my life.
Baseball PCs are the most interesting to me, but there are some
great FB cards, too. Stadiums are probably the most widely collected
sports PCs, but some of those interest me more than others do.
I am going to send PSA some PCs as soon as I become less lazy.
Also, I will start a PC thread at the non-sports forum when my
lazy streak leaves.
storm
<< <i>Are you getting tired of these? If so, I'll stop posting. I'm having a great time showing
them. My family could care less and I collect alone in this town, so this is fun for me. Thanks
for the space to show them. Joe >>
Joe! If you stop posting pics of your collection, one of us will "hunt you down" and tweak your arm or something! Please keep posting!
<< <i>Tomorrow I will post my Holy Grail of postcards. I think you will agree that it is a very special
card. >>
And it just keeps on getting better?! I'll be looking forward to seeing your idea of The Holy Grail soon!
Thanks, Joe!
I think I'll hit a couple of antique places this weekend near my house.
Maybe I'll find something?
mike
<< <i>Mike
I think I'll hit a couple of antique places this weekend near my house.
Maybe I'll find something?
mike >>
It may take some real scrounging -- through more than one or two stores -- but you can probably find SOMEthing! I saw an old baseball game at one booth last weekend and thought of you. When it comes to the postcards, I was elated to notice that the biggest sellers had them sorted by category. That's makes it sooo much easier and quicker!
If you go, let us know! If nothing else, it's just great fun looking at stuff older than me! (I may not let this old-age thing rest, compadre!
I'm probably the oldest here at almost 60!!!!
And I'm going thru MAN-O-PUSS!!! Old dudes can get cranky.
I'm lucky - I don't find much to get too absorbed about.
Well, last weekend was an exception.
<< <i>Hey!
I'm probably the oldest here at almost 60!!!!
And I'm going thru MAN-O-PUSS!!! Old dudes can get cranky.
I'm lucky - I don't find much to get too absorbed about.
Well, last weekend was an exception.
Aaahhh, I can rest easy that I'm not the oldest postcard in the bin. hehe. Hope the woodpeckers don't bother you this weekend...or however the "storyline" went...
Printed by H.M. Taylor in 1907 for the Detroit Club.
A very young Ty Cobb is seated 2nd row, 3rd form the left.
It is one of the earliest images of Cobb, if not the earliest.
The Dietsche series of Detroit players is also from 1907.
I treasure this card as much as I do my T206 Cobb Red portrait.
Postally used it clearly shows the date 1907.
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
The message reads, Sam Moore Pitcher Halifax Professionals.
Tomorrow another rare postcard depicting HOFer's and a
deaf player. There is quite a market for deaf players. I just learned
of this about 2 weeks ago, when a card I bid on went for much
more that I thought it would. Hope you are enjoying this thread
as much as I am. Joe
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
<< <i>Hi Everyone, This postcard was the Holy Grail of postcards, ( well for me at least).
Printed by H.M. Taylor in 1907 for the Detroit Club.
A very young Ty Cobb is seated 2nd row, 3rd form the left.
It is one of the earliest images of Cobb, if not the earliest.
The Dietsche series of Detroit players is also from 1907.
I treasure this card as much as I do my T206 Cobb Red portrait.
Postally used it clearly shows the date 1907.
>>
Joe-
That is an awesome Cobb! Great find! Please, keep posting.
At the last Ft. Washington show there was a dealer that had a great Cobb RPPC for sale. It was Cobb sliding into home. The image of Cobb was perfect. There was some paper loss on the front. Unfortunately it was out of my price range, but I still have his info if you are interested.
I'm happy this thread is staying alive!
<< <i>Hi Everyone, This postcard was the Holy Grail of postcards, ( well for me at least).
Printed by H.M. Taylor in 1907 for the Detroit Club.
A very young Ty Cobb is seated 2nd row, 3rd form the left.
It is one of the earliest images of Cobb, if not the earliest.
The Dietsche series of Detroit players is also from 1907.
I treasure this card as much as I do my T206 Cobb Red portrait.
Postally used it clearly shows the date 1907.
Oh, Joe, that "Detroit Club" w/Cobb is awesome. I hope you don't mind if I "borrow" your images just so I can enjoy them when I'm offline -- and maybe use them as my "PC pc" wallpaper! Thanks a lot for taking the time and effort to share these gems.
Again, having that postmark of '07 really helps authenticate this piece to me. Otherwise, seeing it -- even in person? -- could leave some room for doubt with the ability to age paper (per storm's shared info) nowadays.
You said you had 100+ vintage postcards in your collection?? Well, CU has plenty of disk space so keep 'em coming, please!
<< <i>Here is an un identified ball club from 1911. Really sharp image for a 95 yr old card. One of my favorites.
If anybody has any idea's as to the location of the team, please feel free to chime in.
Tomorrow I will post my Holy Grail of postcards. I think you will agree that it is a very special
card. P.S. Are you getting tired of these? If so, I'll stop posting. I'm having a great time showing
them. My family could care less and I collect alone in this town, so this is fun for me. Thanks
for the space to show them. Joe
Joe! I just Googled "wna baseball team 1911" and found this link on a West Nottingham Academy which had a baseball team in 1911!
Check it out and see if you think this may be your team!
I took it a step farther and e-mailed the atheletic director
at Nottingham to see if this team is actually from there.
I also asked if possible did he have a rooster from the
team. I didn't e-mail the scan of the card yet for fear that
he might think a virus was attached. If he replies, I will send it to him.
More vintage cards on the way later. Joe
Thanks Tom, But at this time it prolly is out of my price range too.
Mike, You may use all my images for as long as you like. I agree
about the postmark. I have little doubt that it is authentic. It is a very special piece.
They do pop up on e-bay from time to time, but I would imagine if I had
to purchase it now it would be priced a little to steep for me.
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
Published by Souvenir Post Card Co. N.Y. This Greeting from the Giants card
could be used as a score card for a game you attended. Funny though, that
the Giants are on top line and they would be the visitors. Oh well, they
were experts in printing postcards, not baseball. The card features 2 Hofer's
(Mathewson and Iron Man McGinnity) and Dummy Taylor, the deaf player
I mentioned yesterday. Dummy is with the Buffalo team in the T206 set.
All these players exept Mertes are in the T206 set. Joe
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
I saw one yesterday for $175.00. In California antique
shops, you might find them in the "clearance bins," if
the shop owners are not into sports. (They go on eBay
from about 25.00 up to 125.00 +/-, but they are VERY
seldom seen on eBay.)
"Invented" modern surfing.
Buy them, if you see them; they are scarce. (Make sure
they are real.) eBay prices $10 to $120.00; seldom found
on eBay anymore. Condition is VERY important on all 60s
cards, even the "scarce" ones. Discounts for corner bumps
are substantial.
All I see is a guy standing by the pool.
thanks for being patient with me. Joe
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
And why is it so expensive.
All I see is a guy standing by the pool.
thanks for being patient with me. Joe
///////////////////////////////////////////////////
Sandy Koufax. He bought a motel and this was
one of the cards they used to promote the place.
(I will get the backs up as soon as I open the
box; probably tomorrow.)
The SK card is sought after because it is not real
common to see shots of sports stars out of uniform
on PCs. If you see 'em cheap, grab 'em and throw
'em up on eBay; the last one I saw, I think was
close to $100 and it was kinda doggy.
storm
Is there any clue on the back to let someone know that is Sandy Koufax?? I recognize him, having gotten started watching baseball when those d-ang Dodgers beat the Twins in the '65 World Series!
I'll be looking for this one in the bargain bins!
Thanks for sharing -- again!
Joe,
I can't believe the pictures you have! I love the format of that "Greetings..." card! You've all got me scouring eBay listings now for unique pieces. I probably won't buy anything too expensive, but I'll be looking for under- or mis-titled cards...eBay's version of the "bargain bin'!
Nice Giants team postcard. Not often you get multiple HOFers on one piece! You must have a great selection of cards! Thanks for sharing!
Storm-
Thanks for posting. I know there is a whole group of "Large Letter" postcard collectors out there. I've seen some that have Stadiums in one of the letters, but one with a great athlete like you are showing is fantastic.
Mike-
Keep searching. Ebay has some great bargains if you work at it.
It is Sicks Stadium, the one year home of the Seattle Pilots. Suggested reading is Jim Bouton's Ball Four, a first person account of life on that Pilots team.
BTW- Seattle is a great city. I went there a few years ago to watch a M's game. Lots of fun.
Storm, Duh!! I shoulda known that SK was Sandy. My bad, and a nice card at that.
Tom, Nice stadium card. I see some nice ones available but I have to focus on one thing or
my spending gets out of hand. I do have a few stadium cards that I
picked up in a lot and I will try to post some later.
More postcards to come. Joe
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
Can't be positive, but I have seen it advertize in auctions as Ruth.
So you gotta take that with a grain of salt.
Postcard for the day is a neat item beause it has
has add province with the pictures that are with it.
Its the 29th battery team from WWI.
Players are matched with names on the back.
I believe this came from a collection from Percy Mason,
back row, 3rd form the left.
Chow is being served in the two pictures.
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
Postmarked July 2nd, 1907. The cards notes are really neat. Let me read it to you.
"This is the team does um up brown. Played 11 games and won 10.
The fellow with the cross (1st row, 2nd from the left)
sprained his ankle at Steep Falls and wont be able to play with us 4th of July.
We play Fort McKinley.
I wish you might come over.Tell mother the air beans an taters be groin terrbal.
Give my love to aunt Julia and Uncle George.
Your affectionate c???, Art"
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
More great pics. I'm always impressed at how serious the turn of the century ball players look in those team shots. That is awesome that you have the photo provenance to go with the 29th battery team. Keep 'em coming!
Tom
Here are a couple of prelinen postcards, one of Braves Field and one of Fenway Park. Both are divided back and unused.
Braves Field was home to the Braves from 1915 until 1952 when they moved to Milwaukee. It hosted the Red Sox home World Series games in 1915 and 1916 because it had a larger capacity. Today a portion of the park remains as part of Boston University's Nickerson Field. The pictured Gaffney Street ticket office is now a child care center and security office for B.U. Braves Field hosted the longest game in Major League history, a 1-1 tie bewteen the Dodgers and Braves, May 1, 1920.
Fenway Park opened April 20, 1912 as the Sox beat the Highlanders (now the Yankees) 7-6 in 11 innings.
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
Ends in 12-hours.
300008928846
Looks like a nice one.
It is now under $40.00, but snipes are probably set.
storm
edit update: Brought $72.30 w/insured delivery
Both cards are divided back and are unused. The Baker Bowl is an especially tough card to locate from my experience.
The Baker Bowl was opened in 1895, seated 18,800, and is considered the first "modern" baseball ballpark. The Phillies played here until 1938. The park became obsolete as concrete and steel stadiums started to replace brick and wood parks. The Baker Bowl was the site of Babe Ruth's last major league game in 1935.
Shibe Park opened in 1909 and featured an ornate French Renaissance facade with a Beaux Arts tower at its main entrance. The A's played here until they moved to K.C. at the end of 1954. The Phillies played here until 1971. Shibe Park was the site where Lou Gehrig became the first A.L. player to hit four homers in a game in 1932 and was the site of Ted Williams going 6 for 8 on the last day of the season in 1941 to hit .406.
The top and bottom postcards are unused undivided back postcards. You can see on the bottom card there was space left for a message.
The middle card is postally used from 1910. The message says "Rc'd your postal from Ind. Can't you come down now a couple of days? My roommate is away. BCG 1038 Cherry St."
Franklin Field is the University of Pennsylvania's stadium for football, field hockey, lacrosse and track and field (and formerly for soccer). It opened in 1895 at a cost of $100,000 for the first running of the Penn Relays. The Field, deemed by the NCAA as the oldest stadium still operating for football, was the site of the nation's first scoreboard in 1895, and became the nation's first two-tiered football stadium in 1925. The current stadium structure was built in the 1920s after the original wooden bleachers were torn down. The lower tier was built in 1922 and the second tier was added in 1925. Franklin Field was once the largest two-tiered stadium in the United States. Today, the stadium seats 52,593.
It was also the home of the Philadelphia Eagles from 1958 until 1970. The Eagles hosted the 1960 NFL Championship Game here, defeating the Green Bay Packers, 17-13 in Packers coach Vince Lombardi's only career playoff loss. Also on August 23, 1958, the first Canadian Football League game was played at Franklin Field, as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeated the Ottawa Rough Riders, 13-7; this game marked the first and only time that two Canadian football teams would play on American soil.
Franklin D. Roosevelt accepted the nomination for his second term at Franklin Field on June 27, 1936. On that occasion, he delivered one of his most famous speeches. Here is an excerpt, including one of the great phrases of FDR's presidency:
"Governments can err, Presidents do make mistakes, but the immortal Dante tells us that divine justice weighs the sins of the cold-blooded and the sins of the warm-hearted in different scales. Better the occasional faults of a Government that lives in a spirit of charity than the consistent omissions of a Government frozen in the ice of its own indifference. There is a mysterious cycle in human events. To some generations much is given. Of other generations much is expected. This generation of Americans has a rendezvous with destiny."
Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball park located at in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York. It was the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers of the National League. Two different incarnations of a Brooklyn Dodgers football team also used Ebbets Field as their home stadium.
Ebbets Field was on the block bound by Bedford Avenue, Sullivan Place, McKeever Place and Montgomery Street. Club owner Charlie Ebbets acquired the property over several years, starting in 1908, by buying parcels of land until he owned the entire block.
The park opened on April 9, 1913, replacing the old Washington Park. It was the scene of some early successes, as the "Robins" (so-called for long-time manager Wilbert Robinson) won league championships in 1916 and 1920. Then the team slid into some hard times for a couple of decades, until new ownership brought in player development genius Branch Rickey. In addition to his well-known breaking of the color line by signing Jackie Robinson, Rickey's savvy with farm systems produced results that made the Brooklyn Dodgers "Bums" a perennial contender, which they would continue to be for decades to come. Ebbets hosted the 1949 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
Rumor says that is Charles Comiskey leaning over the railing
The park was built on a former city dump that Comiskey bought in 1909 to replace the wooden South Side Park. Comiskey Park was very modern for its time, being constructed of concrete and steel and seating 29,000, a record at the time. Briefly, it retained the nickname "The Baseball Palace of the World." The park's design was strongly influenced by Sox pitcher Ed Walsh, and was known for its pitcher-friendly proportions (362 feet to the foul poles, 420 feet down the middle). Later changes were made, but the park remained more or less favorable to defensive teams. For many years this reflected on the White Sox style of play: solid defense, and short, quick hits. The 1959 American League Most Valuable Player, Nellie Fox, who led the White Sox to the 1959 American League championship, was known for his frequent hit production.
The first game in Comiskey Park was a 2-0 loss to the St. Louis Browns on July 1, 1910. The last game at Comiskey was a win, 2-1, over Seattle on September 30, 1990. The White Sox won their first-ever home night game, over St. Louis on August 14, 1939, 5-2.
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales. It was also the home of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League from 1921-1970.
The ballpark was originally named Weeghman Park for the Whales' club owner, Charles Weeghman, who obtained a 99-year lease on the property from the city. The field became the home of the Cubs following the 1915 season when the Federal League was disbanded. Weeghman had gained part ownership of the Cubs, and moved the club to his new north side facility, abandoning legendary (and wooden) West Side Park.
Chewing gum magnate William Wrigley, Jr. was part of that group of investors, led by Weeghman, which purchased the team. Wrigley gained full ownership in 1919 after Weeghman suffered financial setbacks and had to sell his shares. The field was then called Cubs Park from 1920 to 1925 before it was expanded and named after Wrigley in 1926; "Cubs Park" is still sometimes used as an alternate name. It is one of two parks that was named for William Wrigley; there was a Wrigley Field in Los Angeles that was home to the Los Angeles Angels, a Pacific Coast League team which Wrigley also owned.
All these postcards are divided back unused postcards."
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
I am reading it. Pretty sure some other folks are, too.
I am just not posting any pix because yours are all better
than mine........... and, beacuse I am REALLY lazy.
storm
This set contains mostly Detroit players, (noteable Cobbs first card).
But it did contain a few Cubs. This is Orvall Overall.
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
Thanks for the feedback. I've got more to come.
Joe,
Great card. I've seen the Dietsche cards around a bit, they look great. I'm guessing it is no surprise they use Cubs and Tigers as subjects, those were the top teams around that time. There does seem to be a lot of real photo postcards of Cobb around. He must have been the most popular player before Ruth.
Keep posting!
That's a tremendous card! I like the style and the pose - and I like the fact that they give you a nice narrative also!
Is this from ebay?
thanx - this is a great area for collectors
mike
Keep 'em coming!
<< <i>Great thread, some real nice examples. Here's a 1907 Morgan Stationary Red Belt, I love early color:
The color in these old cards is spectacular! Also, I've noticed some of the old-time shoes these players wore. How the heck did they run in those things without tripping all over themselves?!
I thought everyone was getting tired
of this thread so I held off posting for awhile.
Glad to see some new faces on it .
BTW, Some great PC's everyone has!!
Stone, I believe this was from e-bay but was listed wrong?
Can't remember, but I know I
got a great deal on it.
If memory serves me, Cobb has 2 poses
in this set and they are regarded as his
rookie, if postcards are considered cards.
Some great debate about this. Earlier I
posted the Detroit Team of 1907, maybe
that is his earliest picture. Anyways, I have
some more cards and will post another later. Take care, Joe
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
Keep 'em coming!
I love the images of the Polo Grounds. In the top one you can see the bluff and rural Manhattan of the early 1900s. In the bottom you can see the bathtub shape of the stadium which made it a very strange place to play baseball
The original Polo Grounds was located at 110th Street and Sixth Avenue (now Lenox Avenue), just outside the north edge of Central Park and occupied by buildings for several generations now. The other three were all located at 155th Street and Eighth Avenue (now Frederick Douglass Boulevard). The latter site, on which a public housing project now stands, is overlooked to the north and west by a steep promontory known as Coogan's Bluff.
The "third" and "fourth" Polo Grounds were actually the same ballfield. The 1890 structure had initially had a totally open outfield bounded by just the outer fence, but bleachers had been gradually extended around during the subsequent 20 years until the entire field was enclosed with seating. Early in the 1911 season, fire destroyed the main grandstand and part of the right field bleachers. Those sections were rebuilt in a steel and concrete double-deck, with the rest of the bleachers left as they were. The new 1911 structure is the point in time from which the Giants dated the opening of the final (i.e. "fourth") version of the Polo Grounds. The team tried to rename the new structure "Brush Stadium" in honor of their owner, but the name did not stick, and it died with him. The remaining old bleachers were demolished during 1923 when the permanent double-deck was extended around most of the rest of the field and new bleachers and clubhouse were constructed across center field.
This version of the ballpark had its share of quirks. The "unofficial" distances (never marked on the wall) down the left and right field lines were 279 and 258 feet respectively, but there was a 21 foot overhang in left field, which often intercepted fly balls which would otherwise have been catchable and turned them into home runs. Contrasting with the short distances down the lines were the 450-some foot distances in the gaps, with straightaway center field 483 feet distant from home plate; the catch that Willie Mays made in the 1954 World Series against the Cleveland Indians would likely have been a home run in almost any other ballpark of the time. The bullpens were actually in play, in the left and right center field gaps. The outfield sloped downward from the infield, and people in the dugouts often could only see the top half of the outfielders.
Next, a couple of old minor league stadiums from the PCL: Wrigley Field, home of the L.A. Angels and Gilmore Field (in the top left), home of the Hollywood Stars.
The park was built in South Los Angeles in 1925 and was named after William Wrigley, the chewing gum magnate who owned the first tenants, the original Los Angeles Angels minor-league team. Wrigley also owned the Chicago Cubs, whose home is a more famous park named after him. The Los Angeles Wrigley Field was built to resemble a Spanish-architecture and somewhat scaled-down version of the Chicago ballpark (known then as Cubs Park) as it looked at the time. It was also the first to bear Wrigley's name, as the Chicago park was named for Wrigley several months after the L.A. park's opening. At the time, he owned Santa Catalina Island, and the Cubs were holding their spring training in that island's city of Avalon (whose ballfield was located on Avalon Canyon Road and also informally known as "Wrigley Field").
With its location near Hollywood, Wrigley Field was a popular place to film baseball movies. Among the most well known movies filmed there were The Pride of the Yankees and a movie version of the stage play Damn Yankees. It later found its way into television, serving as the backdrop for the Home Run Derby series in 1959, a popular show which featured one-on-one contests between baseball's top home run hitters, which had a brief revival in 1989 when it aired on ESPN. Episodes of shows as diverse as The Twilight Zone and The Munsters were also filmed here.
Gilmore Field sat between Gilmore Stadium (a football field) and the famous Pan-Pacific Auditorium, along Beverly Boulevard. Both facilities were named for an early settler who struck oil on this property, part of Rancho La Brea where the famous tar pits are still a tourist attraction of proportions only slightly better than the Trees of Mystery in northern California.
The Stars were owned by Bob Cobb of Brown Derby Restaurant fame and the inventor of the California Cobb Salad. In their salad days, as it were, the Stars attracted glamorous actors and other celebrities or anyone else who wanted to be "seen", much as Dodger Stadium would later. One of the L.A. Angels players, Chuck Connors, made a successful move from one side of the box seat railing to the other, becoming a popular TV star.
Although Wrigley Field seemed to get the lions' share of screen time, Gilmore Field also had its moments on celluloid. It was featured in a movie called The Monty Stratton Story, starring James Stewart and June Allyson, the true story of a promising pitcher whose career was curtailed due to a hunting accident that left him with an artificial leg. Stratton's major league baseball career was over, but he made a comeback at the minor league level. The scenes at the end of the movie were set elsewhere, but were filmed at Gilmore Field.
Sportsman's Park was initially owned by the newly-formed Browns of the American League, who began play in St. Louis in 1902 after moving from Milwaukee. They initially placed the diamond at the northwest corner of the block. Within the decade they had rebuilt the old facility in steel and concrete. The diamond was relocated to the southwest corner, where it stayed. The previous wooden grandstand was retained as left-field bleachers for awhile, but was soon replaced with permanent bleachers. The Cardinals came on board as tenant in mid-1920 after abandoning the outdated, mostly-wooden Robison Field.
Although the Browns had been the stronger team in the city for the first quarter of the century, they had never been quite good enough to win a pennant. After the previously weak Cardinals moved in, the two teams' situations started to reverse, both on and off the field. Eventually, so did the ownership of the ballpark. The 1944 World Series between the Cardinals and the Browns, won by the Cardinals 4 games to 2, was perhaps a good metaphor for the two clubs' respective situations.
The Busch family of brewery fame bought the Cardinals in the early 1950s, and soon acquired the venerable park from the cash-strapped Browns, renaming it Busch Stadium starting in 1953. The next year, the Browns were in Baltimore. The brewery originally wanted to name the ballpark Budweiser Stadium. Ford Frick, the Commissioner of Baseball, vetoed the name because of public relations concerns over naming a ballpark after an alcoholic beverage - an arguably hypocritical attitude, given all baseball clubs' significant revenues from beer sales. However, the Commissioner could not stop August Busch from renaming it after himself, and so he did.
My registry sets
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
-- Yogi Berra
There's too many to comment at this point.
A special thanx for tkd for the really nice writeups!
Now to really date myself - I have been to old Yankee Stadium, the Polo Grounds and Ebbets Field.
Even as a child, I could see the difference in size - Ebbets seems so much more cozy and friendly.
But for those who have never been to a major league park - I should also add frequented - I will tell ya, even in the bleachers of Yankee Stadium, you see a lot of the same people and you can actually create casual friendships. Season ticket holders make friends for life!
thanx again guys
This is one of the top ongoing threads!
mike