Help with ID of this 1954 Yankee

[Exhibitman]

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibitman/miscellaneous4/1954%20Knox%20Hats%20Whoozit.jpg

I'm stumped...Looks like Gene Woodling to me...

[KCRfan1]

Looks like Charlie Silvera to me. What do you think?

[HRBAKER]

I think it's Silvera too!

[pawpawdiv9]

Hank Bauer??

[bobsbbcards]

I think it's Yogi.

[pepis]

Looks like Charlie Silvera to me. What do you think?

He does look like Charlie, so i'll say yes Charlie Silvera.

[Volod]

Yeah, looks like Silvera...what, is he about to eat his hat on a bet?

[Exhibitman]

It is an advertising piece for Knox Hats.

[bobsbbcards]

Not Silvera. Here's a period photo showing Charlie in profile. Ear is different as is his cheekbone, jaw, and nose.

http://www.lonecadaver.com/51%20Vic%20Raschi%20Charley%20Silvera.jpg

[bobsbbcards]

Berra. Note shape of ear, jaw, cheekbone, nose, eyebrow, forehead, plus arm hair. Since he's smiling less in the Knox photo, his dimples aren't showing.

http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/80450F/espn1420.com/files/2012/06/yogi-berra-young.jpg

[pawpawdiv9]

i looked at some side view pics..thats why i believe it could be Hank Bauer.
I actually looked at your 1st pic shown.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51hyIn-3q5L._SL500_AA300_.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Hank_Bauer_1953.jpg

[bobsbbcards]

Ear and hair.

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Yogi-Berra-Rizzuto-Bauer-World-Series-1951-Wire-Photo-Rizzuto-estate-Yankees-/00/s/ODE1WDExMDM=/$T2eC16NHJHYE9nzpcwt7BQ+vdQe2Vw~~60_57.JPG

[KCRfan1]

I can see Bauer in the photo. I may stand corrected after suggesting Silvera. I certainly do not see Berra's likeness in the photo though.

[nolemmings]

No way that is Hank Bauer, who had a sharp-featured, drill instructor face.

[71buc]

It is an advertising piece for Knox Hats.

I saw this item and thought it did not look like McDougald as well. What is on the reverse of the photo?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1954-GIL-McDOUGALD-NEW-YORK-YANKEES-KNOX-HATS-ORIGINAL-ADVERTISING-PHOTO-/200910663302?pt=Vintage_Sports_Memorabilia&hash=item2ec7356e86&nma=true&si=LGSEr1VYzjiD%252BmaKC2zU27DY6hQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

[nolemmings]

I saw this item and thought it did not look like McDougald as well. What is on the reverse of the photo?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1954-GIL-McDOUGALD-NEW-YORK-YANKEES-KNOX-HATS-ORIGINAL-ADVERTISING-PHOTO-/200910663302?pt=Vintage_Sports_Memorabilia&hash=item2ec7356e86&nma=true&si=LGSEr1VYzjiD%252BmaKC2zU27DY6hQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Ha, thanks for the link. Not only does it not look anything like McDougald, the one player pictured in the background is wearing #12--worn by Gil McDougald.

[Harliduck]

Another vote for Yogi...clearly looks like him to me with no doubt. imho

[Exhibitman]

I'm thinking it is maybe 1955 and that the picture is Bob Turley.

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibitman/dropins/websize/1955%20Topps%20_38%20-%20Bob%20Turley.jpg

[Paul S]

In the center of Bob's posted picture, that's certainly Bauer (attached) -- maybe this just confuses thing more. IMO, Adam's pic is not Yogi or Silvera.

[nolemmings]

Right- no doubt that is Bauer. The original photo is apparently the stumper.

[tedzan]

Ear, eyebrow and nose indicate to me a strong resemblance to Irv Noren (NYY 1952 - 1956)


TED Z

[GoldenAge50s]

I agree w/ Ted--looks like Noren to me! It is definitely NOT Bauer, Berra, McDougald, Turley or any of the previously mentioned players.

[Volod]

Ear, eyebrow and nose indicate to me a strong resemblance to Irv Noren (NYY 1952 - 1956)


TED Z

Second Ted's choice.

[savedfrommyspokes]

If you click on the image in the ebay listing for this picture, a series of pictures showing what appears to be the same "hat guy" in each image posing with multiple other Yankee players is there.

http://s1187.photobucket.com/user/kristanrichmond/media/BUCKLE9.jpg.html


The player in question appears to be slightly taller than the "hat guy". If you look at the last image, it appears to be Ralph Branca, and at 6-3, he appears just slightly taller than the player in question (as compared to the hat guy). If it is indeed Branca, I would estimate the "hat guy" to be 6-1 or so. So, the player in question should be at least 6-0, thus excluding the "shorter" Yankees such as Berra, Silvera, and the others under 6-0.


My pick is Dr. Bobby Brown (at 6-1)

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/features/1998/yankees/1951_lg.html

[Paul S]

For what it's worth, while poking around the web for some images to compare I came across this gorgeous site. The only drawback is he doesn't id the players :( I emailed him our item in question. He soon replied with Woodling. (The site is definitely worth checking out -- tons of photos, mainly Highlanders/Yankees).

http://www.lonecadaver.com/GroupPhotos1950-1959.html

[nolemmings]

Thanks for the link Paul. Who is that with Hank Bauer immediately under the "1952" line? That looks like our guy to me.

[JollyElm]

I'm going with Jim McDonald. After a quick search, it could very well be him. Not guaranteeing it or anything, but after reading people say it's Hank Bauer, Yogi Berra or Irv Noren, I had to say something. It doesn't look anything like them!!!

Noren's mouth is so close to his nose in every picture and his nose sticks way the heck out near the bottom like a ski jump. It doesn't come close to resembling the features of the guy in the picture. Come on!!!

And everyone knows what Yogi Berra looks like. A passing resemblance at best.

Hank Bauer?????????????? Is this a joke????????????

OK...I'll calm down now.

[JollyElm]

97754

Here's a photograph (admittedly lo res) of McDonald on the Orioles from, I believe, 1955. A mirror image and at a slightly different angle, but there's little doubt it's him.

[HRBAKER]

That's what makes this so tough, those two look nothing alike to me other than they have eyes, ears and a mouth.

[nolemmings]

Agreed Jeff. Here is a side-by-side of the guy in the '52 shot with Bauer and our mystery Yankee. I think they look like the same man.http://photos.imageevent.com/imoverhere/miscellaneous/huge/Tuesday_%20April%2030_%202013.jpg

[JollyElm]

Agreed Jeff. Here is a side-by-side of the guy in the '52 shot with Bauer and our mystery Yankee. I think they look like the same man.http://photos.imageevent.com/imoverhere/miscellaneous/huge/Tuesday_%20April%2030_%202013.jpg

Um...you agree with Jeff, yet you're showing a picture of Jim McDonald. The very guy I named above...with the same mole on his right cheek.

[nolemmings]

Um, if Jim McDonald is the guy whose photo I just showed, then I think it's Jim McDonald. Your lo-res pic looks different to me, particularly in the nose.

[Volod]

I'm going with Jim McDonald. After a quick search, it could very well be him. Not guaranteeing it or anything, but after reading people say it's Hank Bauer, Yogi Berra or Irv Noren, I had to say something. It doesn't look anything like them!!!

Noren's mouth is so close to his nose in every picture and his nose sticks way the heck out near the bottom like a ski jump. It doesn't come close to resembling the features of the guy in the picture. Come on!!!

And everyone knows what Yogi Berra looks like. A passing resemblance at best.

Hank Bauer?????????????? Is this a joke????????????

OK...I'll calm down now.

I think you nailed it, JE. Kind of interesting, isn't it, how ambiguous facial features can be when you can only see them in profile on a face that is not very well known, and then compared to several other ambiguous and obscure faces. The scanty visual information can lead to wildly inaccurate conclusions.:o

[Exhibitman]

Looking at the ear shape and the hair, Jim McDonald looks right to me, especially since the notation on the photo back says "McDougald"; McDonald-McDougald is an easy enough mistake to make when labeling a bunch of photos.

Thanks all, I think we have a solution to the mystery.