Hypothetical Old Judge cards

[prewinter]

I've been meaning to look at the Old Judge set and the Western Association teams from 1888 more closely, and after you all were kind enough to answer my recent questions, I finally got around to it. What I did was take the rosters from the clubs from about March 1, 1888 through the start of the season, and I compared those players with the cards in the Old Judge sets (N172 and N173). From this comparison, you can see some possible cards that might be out there, as well as some of the strangeness about when photos were taken and cards released. I'm going to do one post per team (to keep them shorter), but I will use this one to explain the tables (using my favorite team - the St. Louis Whites). (And of course the table doesn't paste cleanly... poop. Paste into Excel, I guess)

Player - Self Explanitory
March 1 - On club roster before March 1, 1888
Card # - Card number if in Old Judge N172
Old Judge Club - Team for card in 1888
Cabinet - X if included on checklist for Old Judge Cabinets for 1888
Notes - Dates for signing, release, etc.
First game - First game for club in Western Association (if played)
Last game - Last game for club if before July 1

For the St. Louis Whites, the only player on the roster as of March 1 who was not included in the Old Judge set was Frank Weikart, who was released around April 3. Tug Arundel did not join the club until late April, after the photo shoot for the team. Tom Dolan is photographed in a Whites uniform, but identified with the St. Louis Browns. He spent two or so weeks with the Browns in Spring Training on a road trip through Memphis and New Orleans, which may be why Old Judge identified him with the Browns. On the other hand, Pete Somers spent those same two weeks in St. Louis with the Whites.

Take home: No likely unidentified Whites out there (nor Browns either, for that matter).


Player March 1 Card # Old Judge Club Cabinet Notes First Game Last Game
Charles Alcott X 2 St. Louis (WA) X Released May 6 May 3, 1888 May 6, 1888
Tug Arundel 13 Indianapolis (NL) X Signed April 24 May 8, 1888 June 20, 1888
Jake Beckley X 25 St. Louis (WA) X April 28, 1888
Ernie Burch X 51 St. Louis (WA) X Signed February 2 April 28, 1888 June 20, 1888
Bart Cantz X 64 St. Louis (WA) X May 1, 1888 June 20, 1888
Jack Crooks X 99 St. Louis (WA) X April 28, 1888 June 20, 1888
Tom Dolan X 126 St. Louis (AA) StL-AA Actually with the Whites April 28, 1888 June 20, 1888
Joseph Herr X 225 St. Louis (WA) X April 28, 1888 June 8, 1888
Hunkey Hines X 226 St. Louis (WA) X April 28, 1888 June 20, 1888
Jack Kenyon X 260 St. Louis (WA) X April 28, 1888 June 20, 1888
Tom Loftus X 277 St. Louis (WA) X Manager
Jerry McCormack X 305 St. Louis (WA) X Released May 3
Parson Nicholson X 345 St. Louis (WA) X April 28, 1888 June 20, 1888
Fred Nyce X 347 St. Louis (WA) X May 1, 1888 June 17, 1888
Pete Somers X 428 St. Louis (AA) StL-AA Released May 6
Ed Sproat X 434 St. Louis (WA) X May 1, 1888 May 7, 1888
Harry Staley X 435 St. Louis (WA) X April 28, 1888 June 19, 1888
Frank Weikart X Released April 3

[prewinter]

Chicago Maroons

Hypothticals:
Gene Moriarity was signed by the club in 1887, and was with them well into the season. He would be my top choice for missing Old Judge card from the Maroons.
Arthur "Dad" Clarkson was the brother of John Clarkson. He was signed relative late - March 25 - but much earlier than many other players seen with the Maroons.
Charlie Ingraham - Possibly the Dugrahm listed on the Cabinet checklist?


Player 1-Mar Card # Old Judge Club Cabinet Notes First Game Last Game
Charles Boyd X 34 Chicago (WA) X Signed February 8; last listing April 11
Roscoe Coughlin 95.1 Chicago (WA) X Signed May 26 June 2, 1888
Jack Crogan X 98 Chicago (WA) X May 1, 1888 June 2, 1888
Dan Dugdale X 136 Chicago (WA) X May 2, 1888
John Dunn X 139 Chicago (WA) X May 2, 1888 June 7, 1888
Frank Dwyer 141 Chicago (WA) X Signed April 24 May 1, 1888
Fischer 161 Chicago (WA) X Unknown player
William Hanrahan 213 Chicago (WA) X Signed April 24 May 1, 1888
Moxie Hengel X 223 Chicago (WA) X May 1, 1888
Charlie Hoover 232 Chicago (NL) Chi NL/ Signed May 16 May 20, 1888
Chi WA
Fred Lange X 272 Chicago (WA) X May 1, 1888
Herman Long X 278 Chicago (WA) X May 1, 1888
Jim McCauley X 303 Chicago (WA) X May 1, 1888
Joseph M. Nicholson X 344 Chicago (WA) X Released May 16
George Rooks X 391 Chicago (WA) X Released May 16 May 1, 1888 May 15, 1888
Jumbo Schoeneck X 404 Chicago (WA) X May 17, 1888
Charlie Sprague 433 Chicago (NL)/ Chi NL Signed May 4 May 6, 1888
Chicago (WA)
Gene Moriarty X May 1, 1888
Dad Clarkson Signed March 25; released May 16 May 3, 1888 May 3, 1888
Charlie Ingraham X? Joined club May 5; Dugrahm? May 5, 1888 May 26, 1888

[prewinter]

Des Moines

Hypotheticals:
Ed Cushman and Frank Wells - Both players have cards with later teams that look like they are in Des Moines uniforms.
Guerdon Whitely (or Whiteley?) - He played with Des Moines in 1887, and was signed to come back for 1888 until the club signed Shafer. He signed with Hutchinson around April 12, so most likely Old Judge never released a card for him


Player 1-Mar Card # Old Judge Club Cabinet Notes First Game Last Game
Billy Alvord X 6 Des Moines X April 28, 1888
Ed Cushman X 107 X May 2, 1888
Bug Holliday X 231 Des Moines X April 28, 1888
Ted Kennedy X 259 Des Moines X May 10, 1888
Jimmy Macullar X 287 Des Moines X April 28, 1888
Joe Quinn X 376 Des Moines X April 28, 1888
Harry Sage X 397 Des Moines X April 28, 1888
Luke Schildknecht 402 Des Moines X Signed April 18; released to Sioux City late June June 1, 1888 June 1, 1888
George Shafer 409 Des Moines X April 28, 1888
Fred Smith X 424 Des Moines X May 4, 1888
Dan Stearns X 436 Des Moines X April 28, 1888
Ed Swartwood 449 Des Moines X Reports between March 23 and March 31
Bill Traffley X 462 Des Moines X May 2, 1888
Bill Van Dyke X 470 Des Moines X April 28, 1888
Frank Wells X 488 X April 28, 1888 June 13, 1888
Guerdon Whiteley X Signed by Hutchinson April 12

[prewinter]

Kansas City

Hypothetical:
J.B. Freeman was a "phenomenon" from Missouri who signed with Kansas City for the 1888 season. He was cut on May 3, which means he should have been around when the team shoot was occurring. He got a card the following year in the 1889 set, pictured with the Browns (whom he was with in ST) but identified with Milwaukee (to whom he was sold before the season started).

Player 1-Mar Card # Old Judge Club Cabinet Notes First Game Last Game
Joe Ardner X 12 Kansas City (WA) X May 1, 1888
Michael Bradley X 37 Kansas City (WA) X May 1, 1888
Count Campau X 62 Kansas City (WA) X May 1, 1888 June 28, 1888
Ed Cartwright X 70 Kansas City (WA) X May 1, 1888
Jim Conway X 91 Kansas City (WA) X May 5, 1888
J.B. Freeman X 171 Released May 3
Joe Gunson X 205 Kansas City (WA) X May 5, 1888
Bill Hassamaer X 216 Kansas City (WA) X May 1, 1888
Ralph (Spud) Johnson X 247 Kansas City (WA) X May 1, 1888
Jim Manning X 292 Kansas City (WA) X May 1, 1888
John McCarty X 302 Kansas City (WA) X May 1, 1888
Charlie Reynolds X 383 Kansas City (WA) X May 2, 1888
Park Swartzel X 450 Kansas City (WA) X May 2, 1888
Jake Wells X 487 Kansas City (WA) X May 1, 1888

[prewinter]

Milwaukee:

Hypotheticals:
Alex Ferson jumps out. He was identified with Milwaukee as early as January 8, and he was with the club through the spring. He was released relatively early (May 16), so maybe that is why there is no (known) card of him.
John Quincy Adams Struck was another pitcher with the club all through spring. He shows up on the Cabinet Checklist.
Hart on the Cabinet Checklist is probably Jim Hart, the manager.
And looking at the Old Judge Book, I'm not sure who they think "Keas" is. I haven't found anyone by that name associated with the club.


Player 1-Mar Card # Old Judge Club Cabinet Notes First Game Last Game
Andy Cusick X 108 Milwaukee X April 28, 1888
David Davin X 118.5 Milwaukee X April 28, 1888 June 7, 1888
Alex Ferson X 158 Signed before January 8; released May 16 May 2, 1888 May 15, 1888
Tom Forster X 167 Milwaukee X April 28, 1888
Billy Fuller X 173 Milwaukee X May 2, 1888
Jack Horner X 234 Milwaukee X May 1, 1888
Bobby Lowe X 281 Milwaukee X April 28, 1888
Leech Maskrey X 295 Milwaukee X April 28, 1888
Lynn Mills X 326 Milwaukee X April 28, 1888
Pat Pettee X 365 Milwaukee X April 28, 1888
William Shenkel X 401 Milwaukee X April 28, 1888
Ben Stephens 438 Milwaukee X Signed May 16 May 22, 1888
Joe Strauss X 442 Milwaukee X April 28, 1888
Edward Warner X 479 Milwaukee X May 1, 1888
John Q A Struck X X May 24, 1888 June 10, 1888
Jim Hart (Manager) X X Manager

[prewinter]

Minneapolis

Hypotheticals:
Cal Broughton was signed in May, but has a card in the set with St. Paul (for whom he played after August 16, and then in 1889), and he shows up as a Cabinet option.
Joe Walsh joined the club before Broughton, and he has a card from his time with Omaha prior to going to Minneapolis. Is it weird that they added players after that point but did not change the team for him?
Michael Lynch was released very early in the spring.
Podge Weihe was signed right as Shaw was released. He didn't last long, so maybe Old Judge never bothered to put him on a card.


Player 1-Mar Card # Old Judge Club Cabinet Notes First Game Last Game
Timothy Brosnan X 41 Minneapolis X April 30, 1888
Cal Broughton 42 X Joined club on May 19 May 19, 1888
Frank Graves X 197 Minneapolis X April 30, 1888 May 15, 1888
Bill Hawes X 237 Minneapolis X April 30, 1888
Fred Jevne X 246 Minneapolis X April 30, 1888
W.F. Jordon X 249 Minneapolis X Released May 2
Gus Klopf X 264 Minneapolis X May 1, 1888
Bill Krieg X 269 Minneapolis X May 1, 1888
Thomas McCullom X 308 Minneapolis X April 30, 1888
Charlie Parsons X 361 Minneapolis X April 30, 1888 April 30, 1888
Owen Patton X 362 Minneapolis X April 30, 1888
Fred Rehse 380 Minneapolis X Signed March 3 May 15, 1888
Myers Robinson X 389 Minneapolis X April 30, 1888 May 6, 1888
John Shaw X 414 Minneapolis X Released May 2 April 30, 1888 May 1, 1888
J.C. Sterling X 439 Minneapolis X Released in late May
Joe Walsh 477 Omaha Purchased May 1 from Omaha May 2, 1888
George Winkelman X 505 Minneapolis X May 2, 1888
Michael Lynch X Released April 1; back for one game May 13, 1888 May 13, 1888
Podge Weihe Signed May 2; with Lima by May 19 May 2, 1888 May 7, 1888

[prewinter]

Omaha

Omaha players are hard to find, so I guess it doesn't surprise me that there could be quite a few more out there.
Hypotheticals:
Ed Gastfield is available as a Cabinet, as is Frank Selee, the manager.
John Campana was released on April 10, so maybe too soon to be on a card.
Ed Cassian was with Omaha until July 2 without ever appearing in a regular season game. He pitched in spring training. But he's not on the cabinet list, so not sure why he doesn't seem to have had a card.
Len Sowders, brother of John Sowders (St. Paul) and Bill Sowders (Boston). Not sure when he signed with Omaha, but he was gone by early June.
Sanders is listed on the Cabinet checklist, but I think this is an error. I wonder if they meant Sowders?



Player 1-Mar Card # Old Judge Club Cabinet Notes First Game Last Game
Bill Annis X 10 Omaha X April 30, 1888
Bill Burdick X 52 Omaha X May 1, 1888
Jim Burns X 56 Omaha X April 30, 1888
Dad Clarke 77 Omaha X Signed May 22 from Chicago NL May 24, 1888
Jimmy Cooney X 93 Omaha X May 10, 1888
John Doran X 131 Omaha X April 30, 1888 June 17, 1888
John Flynn X 164.5 Omaha X April 30, 1888
John Healy 219 Omaha X Pitched for Omaha on April 19; released June 7 May 20, 1888 June 2, 1888
Tom Lovett X 280 Omaha X April 30, 1888
Jack Messitt X 322 Omaha X May 10, 1888 May 10, 1888
Joe Miller X 324 Omaha X April 30, 1888
Tom Nagle 339 Omaha (1889) Signed June 7 June 7, 1888
Pat O'Connell X 353 Omaha X April 30, 1888
Dan Shannon 411 Omaha X Signed March 25 April 30, 1888
James Walsh X 477 Omaha Sold to Minneapolis May 1
Tug Wilson X 504.5 Omaha X April 30, 1888
Ed Gastfield X Signed April 28 May 5, 1888 May 30, 1888
Frank Selee X X Manager
John Campana X Released April 10
Edward Cassian X Released July 2
Len Sowders X May 1, 1888 May 26, 1888

[prewinter]

St. Paul

Hypotheticals:
Tom Morrisey and Frank Ringo were both listed in the Cabinet checklist.
Joe Quest was released early in April.
Peter Vogel was released later in April.
John Corbett was released even later in April.
It really makes me wonder what the cut-off date was to be included or not in the cards that were printed.

Player 1-Mar Card # Old Judge Club Cabinet Notes First Game Last Game
Varney Anderson X 7 St. Paul X May 4, 1888
John Barnes X 20 St. Paul X Manager
Scrappy Carroll X 68 St. Paul X April 28, 1888
Jesse Duryea X 140 St. Paul X May 20, 1888
Billy Earle X 142 St. Paul X April 28, 1888
Rudy Kemmler X 258 St. Paul X May 4, 1888
Larry Murphy X 333 St. Paul X April 28, 1888
John Pickett X 369 St. Paul X April 28, 1888
Charlie Reilly X 382 St. Paul X April 28, 1888
Taylor Shafer X 410 St. Paul X April 28, 1888
John Sowders X 432 St. Paul X April 28, 1888
William Tuckerman X 466 St. Paul X May 6, 1888
Peek-A-Boo Veach X 472.5 St. Paul X April 28, 1888
Tom Morrissey X St. Paul X April 28, 1888
Frank Ringo St. Paul X Signed May 8 May 15, 1888
Joe L. Quest X Released April 9
Peter J. Vogel X Released April 19
John Corbett X Released April 24

[chlankf]

Great information and thanks. As an OJ Des Moines collector I have wondered if there could probably be any missing names. Fingers crossed. You are diving down a deep hole of research. You are going to get so much personal frustration, I mean enjoyment. I have done some research on the photographs in DM and have found some interesting things. Happy to share if interested.

[oldjudge]

Milwaukee:

Hypotheticals:
Alex Ferson jumps out. He was identified with Milwaukee as early as January 8, and he was with the club through the spring. He was released relatively early (May 16), so maybe that is why there is no (known) card of him.
John Quincy Adams Struck was another pitcher with the club all through spring. He shows up on the Cabinet Checklist.
Hart on the Cabinet Checklist is probably Jim Hart, the manager.
And looking at the Old Judge Book, I'm not sure who they think "Keas" is. I haven't found anyone by that name associated with the club.


Player 1-Mar Card # Old Judge Club Cabinet Notes First Game Last Game
Andy Cusick X 108 Milwaukee X April 28, 1888
David Davin X 118.5 Milwaukee X April 28, 1888 June 7, 1888
Alex Ferson X 158 Signed before January 8; released May 16 May 2, 1888 May 15, 1888
Tom Forster X 167 Milwaukee X April 28, 1888
Billy Fuller X 173 Milwaukee X May 2, 1888
Jack Horner X 234 Milwaukee X May 1, 1888
Bobby Lowe X 281 Milwaukee X April 28, 1888
Leech Maskrey X 295 Milwaukee X April 28, 1888
Lynn Mills X 326 Milwaukee X April 28, 1888
Pat Pettee X 365 Milwaukee X April 28, 1888
William Shenkel X 401 Milwaukee X April 28, 1888
Ben Stephens 438 Milwaukee X Signed May 16 May 22, 1888
Joe Strauss X 442 Milwaukee X April 28, 1888
Edward Warner X 479 Milwaukee X May 1, 1888
John Q A Struck X X May 24, 1888 June 10, 1888
Jim Hart (Manager) X X Manager

Paul-The only card in the set which contains a misidentification of an image with a name of a player not otherwise known in the set is Struck. There is an image of Strauss known with the name Struck listed below. The convention for identifying Old Judge cards that was adopted by the British Cartophilic Society and also subscribed to by Joe and myself is for the image to determine whose card it is. Therefore, in the book we call the card with the Strauss image and the Struck name a misidentified Strauss card. Having said that, based on the previously mentioned uniqueness of this combination, I would not be surprised to see a true Struck card turn up some day.

[prewinter]

So there you go. If you are still hanging in, congrats! You made it!

I would say my list of most likely possible cards isn't that much different than the players presented in the Old Judge Book. For new players, I would keep an eye out for Moriarty, Ingraham (Dugrahm), Struck, Hart, Gastfield, Selee, Morrisey and Ringo.

Then there are Campana, Cassian and Sowders from Omaha, who are likely (IMO), just based on how hard it is to find players from Omaha and how long they were with the club in Spring Training and beyond (well beyond for Cassian).

Cushman and Wells most likely exist with Des Moines. Broughton is probably out there with Minneapolis and Hoover with Chicago. Given that Sprague has new poses with the Maroons, and Coughlin was clearly photographed well after ST, it seems likely to me that Hoover could have a new pose with the Maroons, like they did a second shoot. How else do you have cards for both players released on May 16 and also a player signed on May 26?

So that's what I have to show for being stuck at home for a while. Thanks for listening!

[oldjudge]

I think your work is great. I have a scarce cabinet of the 1888 Milwaukee team. It is pictured in the bio section of the Old Judge book, but if you can’t find it I can post an image.

[prewinter]

I recall reading that (the mis-identification of Strauss) when I first was looking through the book. Now that I know who Struck is, and the timing of his time with Milwaukee, I too would not be surprised to see an actual Struck card.

[prewinter]

I think your work is great. I have a scarce cabinet of the 1888 Milwaukee team. It is pictured in the bio section of the Old Judge book, but if you can’t find it I can post an image.

Do you know if the team photo was taken around the same time as the photos for the Old Judge set? (Is there any way to even know that?) Just looking at the timelines for a lot of the photos in the set (based on known dates of signings and departures), for Milwaukee I don't see why Ferson doesn't show up in the set. I will take a look at the photo tomorrow.

[kkkkandp]

Incredibly in-depth research! Thanks for sharing!