Help needed with photo ID of 1910 players...

[vthobby]

These photos are on the cover of an April 28th, 1910 "The Youth's Companion".
The upper photo is an amateur league but the lower photo is MLB I believe. I know it is a longshot but any educated guesses out there? Or if it is obvious who the batter and catcher are that would be appreciated. Maybe the ball park offers clues but I have no idea.

Unfortunately, the inside of the publication offers no clues but does conveniently offers the amusing line "the pictures upon the cover this week need no explanation or description."

Well.....I beg to differ! :(

The photo may also be from 1909 or earlier as it is an early April edition.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts or clues. mike

[deebro041]

I am no expert by no means, but on the bottom photo from looking at stadium pics, i might take a guess that it is Exposition Park in Pittsburgh.

[bmarlowe1]

The bottom photo is for sure Columbia Park in Phila., home of the A's. Look at the center photo in "Baseball Memories 1900-1909" (p. 66). You can clearly see that same building with the spire and 3 chimneys outside the park on the first base side.

[jacksons]

At first glance the batter looks an awful lot like John McGraw during his playing days, or early playing/managing years.

So I looked up McGraw on Wikipedia and there's a photo of John at the plate conferring with the umpires and a A's player. The A's player looks alot like the player in your photo:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Conference_on_the_field_at_the_Columbia_Avenu e_Grounds,_1905_World_Series.jpg

If anything, this may at least tell you it's an A's player from 1905, from the uniform alone.

Graig Kreindler should weigh in on this one!

[bmarlowe1]

As is evident in the photo you linked to (and other 1905 WS photos), the Giants wore black uniforms in the 1905 WS and a different cap style , so I don't see how this could be a 1905 WS photo with McGraw at bat.

[jacksons]

Sorry Mark.

My point is the player to the left of McGraw in the Wiki jpg appears to be in the same uniform as the one being questioned.

[bmarlowe1]

The batter's uniform could be A's for any year from 1902 - 1908, based on the HoF uniform database.

[vthobby]

I appreciate the help here. I am always amazed at how much info you guys can glean from a seemingly plain photo.

So we have some leads........hopefully Mr. Kreindler can lend his opinion?

Thanks again! mike