Moses Fleetwood Walker?

[prewarsports]

OK, before people assume this one is bad automatically hear me out.

I bought a 1905-1909 Oberlin College Scrapbook from the estate of a player on the Football team. Many of the photos show integrated Bands and events and also both the Baseball and Football teams had Black players.

There was a few photos identified as "alumni Baseball Game" from c. 1907 where the players from both teams were former Oberlin players. The catcher in this photo is clearly a tall, thin African American player.

Now, Moses Walker was an alumni of Oberlin, still living in the area in 1907, and played catcher. As far as I know he is the only black player to have played that position for Oberlin that could have played in this game.

Without being able to have a clear look at his face, what do you guys think?

[Jason19th]

While it is certanly possible that its Fleet, I just wanted to give a bit of a historical contexted. This was around the time that Fleet was publishing his treatise "Our Home Colony" which was essentally a call for blacks to consider going back to Africa based on the failures of civil rights reform. While this does rule out Fleet coming back to Oberland for an Alumi game he clearly had some other issues on his mind at the time. I would suggest contacting Oberland. I know that there was a shool paper at the time and I am sure that it would have mentioned Fleet if he had come back for the game. In any event a very neat piece and I would love to see the other images

[pariah1107]

Holy S*$%! Now that is an awesome photo! Since this can not be proven/disproven to be Fleet Walker I'll offer this for debate:

1) I agree with the above posit. According to "Black Diamond:The Story of Negro League Baseball"... "Fleet was so embittered by his experiences in baseball that he advocated the separation of the races. Walker, was a successful writer and businessman, used his influence to promote the idea that the best chance for black survival was their return to Africa" (p. 32) In this regard, Fleet playing in an integrated game again would be unlikely.
2) He would have been 50 years old. Possible, but tough to play catcher at that age.

The school paper angle might be your best chance since even if coverage is minimal hopefully batteries are named.

[prewarsports]

My only other thought would be that the Varsity Black player on the 1905-1909 Baseball team was playing catcher in the alumni game to fill in, but it does not appear to be him and I have no idea if he was even a catcher (he is wearing a regular fielders glove in the team photo). Here is a photo of that team for comparison. Maybe Fleet would come back and play because they had a black player on the actual baseball team at the time? I am in no way trying to push this issue, just wanted some opinions from you guys on the idea that it could be him. To provide a little context, here is a photo of one of the other "old timers" in full uniform.

Rhys

[Brian Campf]

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[prewarsports]

Robinson was on the regular team (might even be the guy pictured in my team photo) and not an alumni at this point. Not to say he couldn't have caught the game for one of the alumni teams, but he would not have been an "alumni" at this point. It is probably more likely that scenario than Walker, but I guess without seeing a good look at his face it is impossible to tell for sure.

[Brian Campf]

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[BigJJ]

Looks like the Babe's high arm strut and look down - 100% - to me. As well as stature. Can we firmly identify the era of the photo as being from Babe's tenure with the team. Anything on reverse?

[BigJJ]

That double line from the pitcher's mound may only have been present for one or a few years.

[BigJJ]

And, needless to say, it looks like a home run has just been hit.

[BigJJ]

Notice also odd shape of dirt running path in foul territory after third base, and flag shadow from top of stadium along first base line. Can we get a year on that photo?

[BigJJ]

The Senator's National Park/Griffth Stadium has such single flags above the stadium in this picture:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Griffith_Stadium_Grandstand.jpg
No date attached, and need different dirt running/pitching path (diff season than this pic) but think Senators stadium.
Makes sense it was a Wash DC photographer, if this is in fact the Senators stadium.

[BigJJ]

Babe Ruth and rest of team homeruns by year:
1919: Ruth 29 Team 4
1918: Ruth 11 Team 4
1917: Ruth 2 Team 12
1916: Ruth 3 Team 11
1915: Ruth 4 Team 10
1914: Ruth 0 Team 18

My guess is that is Ruth after hitting a home run at the Senators' ballpark 1918-1919. Need to find out on what exact dates Ruth hit a home run in the Senator's ballpark from 1915-1919. As that looks like a home run to me. Maybe we can get an exact date on the photo, if we are to say that is likely Ruth.

[BigJJ]

Babe hit three home runs in Washington in the 1918 season May 7, June 28, and June 30. In 1919, Babe hit one home run in Washington, on Sept. 27. If it can be shown that the ballpark is the Senators, and that it is 1918 or 1919, and none of the other 4 home runs that were hit in each of the two seasons by other members of the team were in Washington, then I think you have a very very strong argument that it is the Babe - as the only remaining question as to absolute certainty would be whether the picture is definitely of a home run. If we can pin the stadium picture to 1919, perhaps we can say pretty assuredly the picture is from Sept. 27, 1919.
Need to review 1915-1917 as yet, but as I think it is indeed Babe, would like others to assist first in year of ballpark image, as I bet it is 1918-1919.

[BigJJ]

No other members of the team hit a home run in Washington during the entire 1918 season, or the entire 1919 season.

If the stadium pictured is the Senators, and if the picture is from 1918 or 1919, then to me that's clearly Babe Ruth - after hitting a home run.

Perhaps the earliest such image of Ruth crossing home after hitting a homer. !

Now what's my cut?! (I like The Palm Steakhouse)

[BigJJ]

If 1918, would be Ruth's 12th, 19th, or 20th career homerun, if 1919, would be his 49th home run.

[Hankphenom]

I think the pitcher in your photo could be Walter Johnson. Size and gait look right. Ruth hit the first of his ten home runs against Johnson in Washington on May 7, 1918. Two days earlier, Boston manager Ed Barrow, at Harry Hooper's urging, had started Ruth at first base, his first-ever game as a position player and not hitting ninth in the lineup, and this was the second time. This homer against Johnson was Ruth's third in three games, and probably cemented Barrow's strategy to get more offensive output from his star pitcher when he wasn't on the mound. A rather historic photo, if all this is true.

[Brian Campf]

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[bmarlowe1]

Rhys - it's along shot, but if you can find a clear image of Walker's right hand, it might help.