T207 ID help-Cady Thomas?

[nolemmings]

I wanted Rob's auction to end before posting this. I know t207 is renown for obscure players, but who is depicted on the card of C.D. "Cady" Thomas?

I do not believe there is any such player. In 1912, when t207 was released, the Red Sox had two young recruits (pun intended) named Forrest Cady and C.D. Chester ("Pinch") Thomas, but no Cady Thomas. The cardback discusses a pitcher, and both of these guys were catchers. The Red Sox did have a pitcher named Blaine Thomas appear in a few games in 1911, but the card does not refer to that action, instead remarking about 1911's work being performed for Steubenville, so it's probably not him.

There was indeed a pitcher named Claude A. Thomas who pitched for the Stubs in '11 and who had the same record as reported on the back of the card. Thus, it would appear the card was meant to depict Claude--but Stubenville was a Class C team, and Claude had never risen higher. He would not appear in a big league game until and only in 1916 (for Washington), and I have not seen anything to suggest he was Red Sox property at any time, much less that he was given a shot on the team that Spring of 1912.

Has this riddle been solved elsewhere, or does someone have a photo of anyone who would match up with Rob's card, shown here?
http://www.net54baseball.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=13069&stc=1&d=1264504944http://www.net54baseball.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=13070&stc=1&d=1264504948

[rhettyeakley]

I think there was probably a lot of mistakes on this card by the maker. Chester Thomas was indeed a member of the 1912 Sox team and the initials C.D. are his and that is likely who they meant to depict on the card. The writer obviously got Chester mixed up with Claude Thomas who would eventually make the majors (and who is later supposedly credited with mentoring a young Carl Hubbell to become who he did).

The Cady part may have been a mistake due to the fact that the same year Chester Thomas made his debut w/ the Sox so did Forrest "Hick" Cady (and maybe they mistakenly saw the two names and thought Cady was Thomas' nickname.

A lot of guesses but it seems obvious that the writer had Claude and Chester mixed up.
-Rhett

[sox1903wschamp]

I think there was probably a lot of mistakes on this card by the maker. Chester Thomas was indeed a member of the 1912 Sox team and the initials C.D. are his and that is likely who they meant to depict on the card. The writer obviously got Chester mixed up with Claude Thomas who would eventually make the majors (and who is later supposedly credited with mentoring a young Carl Hubbell to become who he did).

The Cady part may have been a mistake due to the fact that the same year Chester Thomas made his debut w/ the Sox so did Forrest "Hick" Cady (and maybe they mistakenly saw the two names and thought Cady was Thomas' nickname.

A lot of guesses but it seems obvious that the writer had Claude and Chester mixed up.
-Rhett

I would agree with Rhett. Here is a shot of Chester on the top row 2nd in on left next to Lewis.

[nolemmings]

Thanks guys. I'll take your word for it now, as I can't tell from that photo. I always thought Pinch had a "fuller" or rounder face than that shown on the T207 card:
http://photos.imageevent.com/imoverhere/prewar/various/large/21e120_80thomasc.jpg
Perhaps someone has a photo of Claude for comparison--he toiled in the PCl from 1920-25 and lkely has a zeenut card or two,

[rhettyeakley]

Here is Thomas in 1922...
http://www.starsofthediamond.com/22zeethomaspair.JPG

[Vintagecatcher]

Here is a nice link to his information on Baseball Reference:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=thomas001che


Here are Chester's 1911 Obak and 1911 Zeenut cards.


Patrick

[bmarlowe1]

Hick Cady left, Pinch Thomas right.