Old Cardboard eNews #126 - Lections Write-Up

[ChiSoxFan]

While reading Set Profile: 1923 "Lections" Mystery Continues in the latest Old Cardboard eNews, I noticed one of the cards was of a Chicago White Sox. Being a White Sox fan, I went to the player checklist on the website to see if any other cards in this set were also White Sox. While there, I noticed the White Sox "player" was Frank Chance and the website listed the "Years Played for Team on Card" as 1898-1912. Obviously, Frank Chance did not play for the White Sox during that time, and he was never the manager for the White Sox.

My first thought was that possibly the card was in error by listing Frank as a White Sox and not a Cub. This peaked my interest to see what teams he played and manged for. While looking a Frank Chance's stats on baseball-reference.com, I noticed that he was the Manager of the Red Sox during the 1923 season. This got me to thinking that if the cards were issued in 1923, why wasn't Frank listed as a Red Sox.

So, I did a quick google search for "Frank Chance White Sox" and came across his Bio on SABR (http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/21604876) and within the article, it states:
"... He returned for a short stint in the major leagues in 1923 as a manager for the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox finished dead last in the American League that year, and the following season Chance accepted the job as manager of his old crosstown nemesis, the Chicago White Sox, drawing the ire of Chicago's Northside loyalists. However, Chance's health took an unexpected turn for the worse, precluding him taking the job. He was ill for several months and he died on September 15, 1924."

The last sentence of the 9th paragraph in the eNews articles states: Meanwhile, we will use the 1923 distribution date that is generally agreed upon within the hobby. If Frank was to manage the White Sox in 1924 and the card has the correct team for him, that would mean this set would have been issued either late 1923 (after Chance was "named" manager) or early 1924 (before Johnny Evers was announced).

I have yet to find the "announcement" dates naming either Chance or Evers as manager for the 1924 White Sox. This, in my opinion, would narrow down the release date for this set even further.

Thoughts, comments?



Thanks,
James

[steve_a]

There is no citation available but this link (http://www.baseballlibrary.com/ballplayers/player.php?name=Frank_Chance_1877&page=chronology) states:

Oct 26, 1923 - Frank Chance signs to manage the White Sox replacing Kid Gleason but he will resign February 17, 1924 because of illness. Coach Johnny Evers named acting manager will fill the job the entire season.

[jimivintage]

Ugh....all this makes me want to do is go find more Lections. I've owned two different Hornsbys and a couple of the commons (I know, Meusel for sure.) I miss you guys....

[nolemmings]

Interesting. Seems there is about a four-month window when these would have been printed, none of which were during the baseball season.

While some of the lore surrounding these cards makes sense on the surface, I'm not sure it is supportable by facts. I believe the prevailing theory is that they were distributed to kids during election season while adults received similar cards of candidates, presumably in New York. However, I believe most major elections occur in even-numbered years, and a quick Google search showed a wiki article stating that only one state race (for appeals judge) took place in New York at the State level in 1923, and that only one mayoral race (in LA) took place that year. Also, there would have been very little time to print these from October 23 before the election was held in November. Finally, the political card used by OC in its article shows the mayor who was elected in 1926, although I suppose he could have run unsuccessfully the prior term. So 1923 seems dubious as being election related, and issuing them in February 1924 or sooner for an election more than a half-year away seems unlikely as well.

One other theory is that these were handed out in Albany during a State or County Fair. This would explain why they are almost always found beat up,as kids had rides and other things to do while in possession of these cards for the day. Still, the fair in New York at least now is held in late Summer, and while ours here in AZ is currently winding up, I have to believe that the fairs in the North during 1923--State or County-- would have been concluded before late October when the weather turns colder. If they were part of the fair, any distribution date of Oct-Feb (when Chance card was printed) is very unlikely.

EDITED to add: Albany mayoral race was in 1922 and 1926, so a card of mayor Thacher would not have been part of any contemporaneous issue with Lections baseball cards.

[GasHouseGang]

When REA was selling the highest graded Ruth from the "set" in 2010, they posted the following information:


The following information provided by Jon Canfield can be “taken to the bank” and finally explains with certainty exactly how the Lections card set was really issued! “I note in the auction that the general belief is that the cards were issued as a candy premium. I can actually confirm that is not the case. I purchased an original near set of Lections from an original owner. The man I purchased the cards from recalled the story to me of his acquiring them as a boy. In the early 1920's, he attended a fair with his father. The fair was in Albany, NY. His father visited many of the "politician podiums" where local officials running for office would give speeches and shake hands with the crowd. The adults who watched these mini rally's were given Election cards showing the candidate (I have these too and can scan them for you later). [Note: For reference, a scan has been posted online]. The children who accompanied the parents to the fair where instead given a "Lection" card by the candidates depicting a baseball player.” Thanks to Jon Canfield for taking the time to share this valuable information with us. It is greatly appreciated!

[nolemmings]

I remember that. I am simply dubious as to its accuracy, for reasons I just stated. I suppose its possible that these either were produced looong in advance of the 1924 elections and that they didn't bother to change out Frank Chance's card. I highly doubt they related to any election in 1923, or that they were given out in any fair the last two months of that year. I would think that 1924 was a longshot, but that would at a minimum change the date of issue to the summer of that year. Since Chance died in September 1924 after a lengthy and well-known illness, it seems kind of ghoulish to me that they would have proceeded with distributing his card after or even near his death. But yes, I had heard the Canfield "confirmation". Sorry for being skeptical.

[Leon]

I would hypothesize they might have been given out over a number of years.

John Boyd Thacher II (October 26, 1882 – April 25, 1957) was the Mayor of Albany, New York from 1926 to 1941. He was the nephew of Albany mayor John Boyd Thacher and grandson of another Albany mayor, George H. Thacher.

http://luckeycards.com/phunclectionsx2.jpg