Homemade Vintage Card Confusion & Corn Flakes

[BaseballWeirdo]

Stay tuned for the Corn Flakes advertising backs…. (which I admit, are pretty darn interesting). I’ve had this collection of homemade cards for less than a week now, and so far, I’ve scanned and researched 50 of the 500+ homemade cards. Most are pretty easy to figure out, but I’d really appreciate some advice on two of them:

Which Wilson?
Eddie (Edward Francis) or Hack (Lewis Robert) Wilson?

http://www.net54baseball.com/picture.php?albumid=429&pictureid=9804 http://www.net54baseball.com/picture.php?albumid=429&pictureid=9805

Eddie played Outfield (right) with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1936-37.
Hack played outfield for the New York Giants (1923-25), the Chicago Cubs (1926-30), the Brooklyn Dodgers (1932-34) and Philadelphia Athletics (1934).

The handmade card indicates Wilson played Center Field, and a notation on the back indicates Brooklyn.

You make the call…
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L I V E s t o n e

http://www.net54baseball.com/picture.php?albumid=429&pictureid=9806 http://www.net54baseball.com/picture.php?albumid=429&pictureid=9807

I can’t seem to identify which Livingstone this card was fashioned after. He supposedly caught and coached and I’ve I found two Livingstons (without the “e”) from that era -- Paddy and Mickey -- which may fit the bill. The photo glued to the front of the card shows Livingston(e) in what I believe to be a Milwaukee uniform. Notes on the back of the card show Brooklyn with 8 hash marks and Boston with a single hash.

Paddy caught for the Cleveland Blues (Indians) in 1901, the Cincinnati Reds in 1906, the Philadelphia Athletics from 1909-1911, the Cleveland Naps (Indians) in 1912 and the St. Louis Cardinals in 1917. According to SABR, Branch Rickey hired Paddy as a catcher-coach for the 1917 St. Louis Cardinals, but left after 7 games. In 1919 he was a bullpen catcher for the Athletics. NO experience with Brooklyn or Boston, or Milwaukee uniform as far as I can tell.

Mickey Livingston’s SABR bio also indicates a resume combining catching & coaching: playing with the Washington Senators (1938), Philadelphia Phillies (1941-43), New York Giants (1947-1949), 28 games with the Boston Braves (1949) and a brief, two game stint with the Brooklyn Dodgers (1951). SABR’s bio on Mickey mentioned that Mickey served as manager of the Milwaukee Braves’ Boise, Idaho, team (1955) in the Pioneer League

I’m thinking its Mickey, but YOU make the call…
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Now, for the cornflakes:
I flipped through the cards and found a dozen or so cards backed with the recognizable Kellogg's Corn Flake box -- pretty cool !!

http://www.net54baseball.com/picture.php?albumid=429&pictureid=9808

[39special]

The Wilson looks like Hack Wilson.

[Bocabirdman]

The Wilson looks like Hack Wilson.

I agree.

[mikemcgrail]

Hack Wilson for sure

[ChiSoxFan]

L I V E s t o n e

http://www.net54baseball.com/picture.php?albumid=429&pictureid=9806 http://www.net54baseball.com/picture.php?albumid=429&pictureid=9807

I can’t seem to identify which Livingstone this card was fashioned after. He supposedly caught and coached and I’ve I found two Livingstons (without the “e”) from that era -- Paddy and Mickey -- which may fit the bill. The photo glued to the front of the card shows Livingston(e) in what I believe to be a Milwaukee uniform. Notes on the back of the card show Brooklyn with 8 hash marks and Boston with a single hash.

Paddy caught for the Cleveland Blues (Indians) in 1901, the Cincinnati Reds in 1906, the Philadelphia Athletics from 1909-1911, the Cleveland Naps (Indians) in 1912 and the St. Louis Cardinals in 1917. According to SABR, Branch Rickey hired Paddy as a catcher-coach for the 1917 St. Louis Cardinals, but left after 7 games. In 1919 he was a bullpen catcher for the Athletics. NO experience with Brooklyn or Boston, or Milwaukee uniform as far as I can tell.

Mickey Livingston’s SABR bio also indicates a resume combining catching & coaching: playing with the Washington Senators (1938), Philadelphia Phillies (1941-43), New York Giants (1947-1949), 28 games with the Boston Braves (1949) and a brief, two game stint with the Brooklyn Dodgers (1951). SABR’s bio on Mickey mentioned that Mickey served as manager of the Milwaukee Braves’ Boise, Idaho, team (1955) in the Pioneer League

I’m thinking its Mickey, but YOU make the call…


The Livingstone could very well be Paddy Livingston. Paddy was the Manager (coach ?) for the Milwaukee Brewers of the American Association in 1917, AA minor league team.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=living001pat

ChiSoxFan

[laughlinfan]

I do like the "puzzle backs" :) - have you been able to figure out what years that style of corn flakes box was produced?

[T206DK]

Those are neat pieces :
Hack Wilson and Paddy Livingston are the subjects most likely

[Chris Counts]

I think James is right about Livingstone. Also, I Googled "1917 Brewers," and I came across this article. While it doesn't mention Paddy, it goes into great detail about the demise of his predecessor as the Brewer's manager. I don't mean to derail this thread, but this story is too interesting not to share. By the way, cool cards Paula!

http://www3.jsonline.com/sports/century/oct99/mill101799.asp?format=print

[conor912]

wow. the more you post about this collection, the more jealous i get!!! cool find!!!

[BaseballWeirdo]

THANKS for all the feedback & help with these two cards -- I really appreciate it. And I'm glad the players are looking to be Hack & Paddy. I felt Mickey Livingston's playing career was a little later than the bulk of the cards in this set.

From what I can gather, the Corn Flakes box design was used in 1927-28, possibly earlier. The previous box design (through at least 1922) used "TOASTED" Corn Flakes as the product description.

Although the majority of cards have blank backs, there are a few more set of advertising backs (match boxes, cough drops, parawax) that I'll post down the road. This project is far more time consuming that I thought -- trying to identify the players, then getting caught up reading about their colorful past.... and the next thing I know its 2:30 in the morning.

Anyhow - thanks again for all the valuable feedback!

[DaveW]

Great stuff Paula - Thanks for sharing it with us! This is the kind of hobby stuff I enjoy seeing and reading about.

[darwinbulldog]

Another off-topic point, but I don't see his name come up very often (even here), so here's my chance to drop this factoid: Paddy Livingston died on the same day I was born. Or, more modestly, I was born on the day Paddy Livingston died.