Influential pre-1920 card?

[Zan]

I have a unique opportunity to write about a baseball artifact and how it influenced 19th century baseball and the US. Here is the description of the assignment:


On your own, find a primary source having to do with baseball before 1920. The source may be a visual source (an advertisement, print, early baseball card, etc) or a textual source (an article, letter, novel, diary entry, etc). You must find your own source; you cannot use one of the sources provided on Blackboard. In order to do this independent research, you might want to talk to GMU’s research librarians. You also might want to consider a trip to the Library of Congress or, if you’re looking for an excuse to go, to the Baseball Hall of Fame Research Library.

Write a paper analyzing what the source and its context reveal about baseball and the 19th century. Be sure to make observations about both the game of baseball and the broader culture. In order to avoid simply providing a collection of observations, you should provide a thesis that says something like: “this document reveals three primary truths….”

I really want to write about a card, but my specialty is 1930's and 40's. Any help here?

Brian

[FrankWakefield]

Well for starters, there isn't anything from the 1930's or 1940's that influenced the 19th century.

What about contacting the National Baseball Museum and see what there is in the Oral History department? You could get a cassette or cd of some player of long ago being interviewed. Shoot for a non-star with a career of decent length, and it would need to be someone who played back in the 1800's for it to be of influence in the 19th century.

[sayhey24]

Brian,

Just wondering if there is a typo in your assignment?
It mentions pre-1920, but obviously nothing from 1901-1919 could have an impact on the 19th century. Is it supposed to read "20th century"?

Greg

[bbcard1]

It's not cards, but related. I think a good argument could be made for Harpers woodcuts spreading the popularity of the game.

[Zan]

It's not cards, but related. I think a good argument could be made for Harpers woodcuts spreading the popularity of the game.

That's what I decided to write my essay on, thanks.

[oldjudge]

Just in case you run into issues with the wood cuts, here is an image of the 1877 Harvard nine. This image shows James Tyng, the man who wore the first catcher's mask, and Fred Thayer, the man who designed it. This was really the beginning of protective equipment in baseball which was followed over the years of the 19th century by other catching equipment and gloves for all positions.

http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/auction/2009/1098.html

[FrankWakefield]

Great, helpful post there, OldJudge!!!!

[judsonhamlin]

I would nominate the woodcut of the Civil War prisoners playing ball. I don't have the image in front of me, but that one has always stood out in my mind