Ripley's Baseball Card

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Posted By: <b>Jerry Hrechka</b><p> Just got this card. This card is from the 1953 Parkhurst Ripley's Believe It Or Not set:<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.network54.com/Realm/tmp/1221058604.JPG"> <br /><br /><br /> I was wondering if anyone here could provide more information on this pitching feat and any information about this pitcher and his team.<br /><br /><br />All I can figure is that he won both games of doubleheaders on back to back days

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Posted By: <b>Tim</b><p>There was a pitcher named William George Lathrop that played two years (1913,1914) for the Chicago White Sox.<br /><br />Your card says the player pitched for Elroy, Wisconsin. W.G. Lathrop was born in Hanover, Wisconsin and died in Janesville, Wisconsin.<br /><br />Might not be related but could be a good place to start.

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Posted By: <b>Jerry Hrechka</b><p> Thanks for the information. Any idea what minor leagues he might have played in? i.e. the Elroy Wisconsin team's name & league affiliation.

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Posted By: <b>Tim</b><p>Jerry-<br /><br />I did a lot of searching and was unable to come up with anything on this. I hope some of the members that have more knowledge or resources for early minor league teams in Wisconsin will be able to help.<br /><br />I'm interested in hearing the story behind your card.

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Posted By: <b>Dave Hornish</b><p>It may not have been a team in OB. Maybe a mill or factory team?<br /><br />Try calling Ripley's-maybe they know.

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Posted By: <b>Red</b><p>Is it possible some of the cards contain stories about events that are not true - Believe it or not?<br /><br />Other cards.<br />?-Claim-Chester Weil, Suffield H.S., Mogadore, O. Fanned 27 batters and Lost.<br /><br />True-Claim-Neal Ball's unassisted triple play.<br /><br />?-Claim-University of Florida scored 17 touchdowns 4 consecutive years 32-35.<br />Only stat I found was they scored a total of 108 points in 1932, 114 in 1933, and 113 in 1934 and 1935. 17 touchdowns at 6 points accounts for 102 points in those figures.<br />So all the additional points that could have been scored from 17 extra point attempts, field goals, and safeties only added up to 6 points in 1932, 12 points in 1933, and 11 points in 1934 and 1935. Believe it or not?<br /><br /><br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Jerry Hrechka</b><p> This card is part of a 100 card set that was issued in Toronto Canada, by Parkhurst, as a promotional give away in Quaker Oats cereal boxes.<br /><br />The backs are all the same, just saying:<br /><br />RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT<br /><br />appears in every issue of<br /><br />THE TORONTO DAILY STAR<br /><br />THE TORONTO STAR WEEKLY<br /><br />I haven't been able to find anything out about this player.<br /><br />The 27 strikeouts could happen and a pitcher could still lose i.e a walk and the runner steals 2nd. 3rd. & home - Pitcher loses 1 to 0.<br /><br />A bit farfetched, but it could happen.<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Jerry Hrechka</b><p> I checked my Ripley's cards and I have the University of Florida card:<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.network54.com/Realm/tmp/1221271178.JPG"> <br /><br /><br />I don't have the one with the 27 strikeouts.

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Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>Hanover, Elroy and Janesville are all pretty close to each other, and it was standard to start your career with a nearby team. Even Cobb, DiMaggio and Walter Johnson started their pro careers locally.

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Posted By: <b>Todd Schultz</b><p>The football story is especially feasible if they had no kicker.<br /><br />The 27 Ks can be explained any number of ways--it doesn't say no-hitter, so for all we know, the opponent had several runs on several hits when they weren't whiffing.