Baseball players with Native American heritage.... Let's see some

[tedzan]

As a young kid, I remember 1951 very well. Bobby Thomson's "shot (HR) heard around the world", and Allie Reynolds 2nd No-Hitter that year. Check out this scenario......
Final weekend of the season. Ted Williams is at bat with 2 Outs in the 9th inning. Allie has his 2nd No-Hitter going. Williams pops a flyball behind Homeplate. Yogi Berra
drops it. Reynolds fires the same pitch again. Williams pops it up again behind Yogi, but this time Yogi holds on to it to complete the No-hitter.
After all these years, I can still recall that event which I watched on our tiny 12-inch TV. And, I very well recall Mel Allen referring to Allie as the ..... "Super Chief".

Allie Reynolds was 1/4 part Creek Indian. He started pitching in the Majors for the Cleveland Indians in 1942. The Yankees traded for Reynolds in 1946, after Joe DiMaggio
persuaded the Yankees Front Office to acquire him.
Personally, I think Allie Reynolds should be in the HOF. His numbers and other factors support this. SABR does a great write-up on Allie....check-it-out: https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/allie-reynolds/




https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan77/tedzan77/1949BReynolds.jpg . https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan77/tedzan77/1949BReynoldsB.jpg




John "Chief" Meyers was Matty's battery mate (1909 - 1915). His grew up in California, his Mom being a Native American of the Mission Indians tribe.
He was one of the better hitters, regarding Catchers, during the Deadball era. His career BA is a respectable .291


https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan77/tedzan77/websize/AB460Meyers.jpg . https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan77/tedzan77/websize/AB460MeyersB.jpg


TED Z

T206 Reference ( http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=237816)
.

[rats60]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50684182148_73a7fba59e.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kdMFxs)

[Jayhawke]

Being that Reynolds was born in 1919 in Oklahoma, he probably was more than a 1/4 Creek Indian. Being a Native American was looked down upon. I know of many on the Rolls that had more Native American blood than recorded, because some didn’t have birth certificates or didn’t know how much Indian blood they had because of the verification process. There are a lot more reasons.

[Bridwell]

Zack Wheat's mother was Cherokee.

[Bram99]

Though I have no first-hand memory of Allie, I agree with Ted that he was significantly dominant in his time and era, and won enough big games, to be in the Hall.

Here's a picture of a few of his cards.

[CobbSpikedMe]

Though I have no first-hand memory of Allie, I agree with Ted that he was significantly dominant in his time and era, and won enough big games, to be in the Hall.

Here's a picture of a few of his cards.

Just a few, of course. ;)

[bobw]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50684423688_ec5205183c_z.jpg

[rhettyeakley]

A few Zeenut cards of known Native American players...

1913 William Cadreau (played in the Majors as William "Chief" Chouneau)

-played in 1 game for the 1910 White Sox, member of Fond-du-Lac Chippewa Tribe

http://www.starsofthediamond.com/13zeecadreau.jpg


Luther "Casey" Smith (several cards) he was at Spring Training with the Cubs and was given his nickname "Casey" by Johnny Evers because he hated calling every Native American player "Chief" and they already had a "Lou/Lew" on the team (Lew Ritchie.)

-Never played in the Major Leagues but was banned in 1920 for unsubstantiated rumors of throwing games (along with Tom Seaton)... Smith was born on Round Valley Indian Reservation (near Mendocino, CA) in 1891.

http://www.starsofthediamond.com/17zeesmith.jpg http://www.starsofthediamond.com/18zeesmithsf.jpg http://www.starsofthediamond.com/19zeesmith.jpg http://www.starsofthediamond.com/20zeegsmith.JPG


Moses Yellowhorse


http://www.starsofthediamond.com/23zeeyellowhorse.JPG


Jim Thorpe this guy needs no introduction

http://www.starsofthediamond.com/22zeethorpe.JPG


McKinley "Mack" Wheat Cherokee, brother of HOFer Zack Wheat

http://www.starsofthediamond.com/22zeewheat.jpg

[NiceDocter]

"Indian" Bob Johnson who was 1/4 Cherokee.... appeared in many sets in the 30s and 40s.....

[rhettyeakley]

William Marriott, Cherokee

(these two cards look the same but they have different dates)
http://www.starsofthediamond.com/22zeemarriott2.jpghttp://www.starsofthediamond.com/23zeesepiamarriott.JPG


George "Chief" Johnson, Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) Nation. Johnson played for various Major League teams from 1913-1915

http://www.starsofthediamond.com/16zeegjohnston.jpg http://www.starsofthediamond.com/17zeejohnson.jpg http://www.starsofthediamond.com/18zeegjohnson.jpg http://www.starsofthediamond.com/18zeejohnson.jpg

Roy Johnson Cherokee, older brother of "Indian Bob" Johnson

http://www.starsofthediamond.com/27zeejohnson.jpg http://www.starsofthediamond.com/28zeejohnsonseals.jpg

"Indian Bob" Johnson younger brother of Roy Johnson, lifetime 55.3 WAR w/ lifetime .296 hitter (Really under-rated player in my opinion)

http://www.starsofthediamond.com/30zeejohnsonport.jpg http://www.starsofthediamond.com/32zeejohnsonport.jpg

[Butch7999]

Not to divert this thread from its narrower focus, but just had to note the recent passing of First Nations hockey pioneer
Fred Sasakamoose (long listed as "Saskamoose"). Sasakamoose emerged from the physical and psychological torture
of Canadian "residential schools" (q.v.) to become the first Indigenous Canadian to play in the NHL (Chicago, 1953-54).
His entire NHL career consisted of just the 11 (not 8) games he played that one season, but he had a long minor-pro career
and went on to become a huge positive influence in youth sports and in his Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation. Sasakamoose
succumbed last week to Covid-19 at age 86.
https://globalnews.ca/news/7503981/funeral-fred-sasakamoose-livestreamed/
https://regina.ctvnews.ca/a-first-nation-pioneer-indigenous-hockey-trailblazer-fred-sasakamoose-remembered-1.5218846

[hammertime]

When I got back into card collecting a Chief Bender T206 was my first purchase. He had a pretty fascinating life, seems ripe for a biopic or 30 for 30 or something.

https://www.heavy45s.com/20201206_055749_copy_546x719.jpg

[Joe_G.]

How about a whole team?

1916 Onondaga Baseball Team

The Onondaga Nation are one of the original five nations of the Iroquois with their traditional homeland in New York, south of Lake Ontario (centered in/around Syracuse).

https://www.net54baseball.com/picture.php?albumid=459&pictureid=29274

[molenick]

Two "Chiefs" and a postcard. I need to get a real scanner instead of a copy/fax/scan combo...the cards are nicer than the scans. My options at the moment for graded cards are a "soft" scan or a photo with a reflection of my phone in it.

[irv]

Not to divert this thread from its narrower focus, but just had to note the recent passing of First Nations hockey pioneer
Fred Sasakamoose (long listed as "Saskamoose"). Sasakamoose emerged from the physical and psychological torture
of Canadian "residential schools" (q.v.) to become the first Indigenous Canadian to play in the NHL (Chicago, 1953-54).
His entire NHL career consisted of just the 11 (not 8) games he played that one season, but he had a long minor-pro career
and went on to become a huge positive influence in youth sports and in his Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation. Sasakamoose
succumbed last week to Covid-19 at age 86.
https://globalnews.ca/news/7503981/funeral-fred-sasakamoose-livestreamed/
https://regina.ctvnews.ca/a-first-nation-pioneer-indigenous-hockey-trailblazer-fred-sasakamoose-remembered-1.5218846

I guess like most history stories/books, this has also been disputed. I personally have no opinion one way or another as I had never heard of either gentlemen until the recent passing of Sasakamoose but I thought you might like to read this?
https://sihrhockey.org/__a/public/column.cfm?cid=2&aid=494

[jakebeckleyoldeagleeye]

Gene Locklear. Remember he did those painting that were used in those Ted Williams Cared Company issued.

[Vintagecatcher]

One of my favorites: Chief Meyers Art Photo.

Patrick

[doug.goodman]

As mentioned in Ted's post to start this thread, here are scored scorecards from both Allie Reynolds no-hitters in 1951

[tedzan]

Robert Lee "Indian Bob" Johnson (1941 Play Ball with a Norman Young bio on its back).

https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan77/images/websize/1941PBJohnsonYoung25.jpg . https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan77/images/1941PBJohnsonYoung25b.jpg



TED Z

T206 Reference ( http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=237816)
.

[sb1]

Louis "Chief" Laroy/Leroy

[tedzan]

Though I have no first-hand memory of Allie, I agree with Ted that he was significantly dominant in his time and era, and won enough big games, to be in the Hall.

Here's a picture of a few of his cards.


Hey Tony

An awesome collection of Allie Reynolds cards you have on display in Post #5.

Career-wise, Allie Won 182 games, lost 107. With the Yankees (1947 - 1954), his record is 179 - 67 (when you include Saves) for an exceptional W-L % of .73
Although, Reynolds was Casey Stengel's premier starting Pitcher, Casey would not hesitate to use Allie in relief in a crucial game. Especially, when the Yankees
relief Ace, Joe Page, was no longer on the team. Furthermore, Allie was a pretty good batter.

Allie deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, and another factor which I don't understand is why the Yankees never retired his uniform # 22.

Allie Reynolds and Joe Page, perfect together......

https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan77/tedzan77/1949BReynolds.jpg . . https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan77/images/1948BowmanJoePage.jpg



Take care Tony,


TED Z

T206 Reference ( http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=237816)
.

[scooter729]

Shown previously but here is my Moses Yellowhorse....

[LincolnVT]

Got this signed in person. Modern. My son has native blood, would be happy to post his card if Leon lets me.

[bigfanNY]

Louis "Chief" Laroy/Leroy

Great card Scott..

[RCMcKenzie]

Here's one I snagged about 15 minutes ago. This is the second e103 I have with a Burdick stamp from the Nagy Collection.

Plus, a few more. Also, I think I have a Pepper Martin Delong. I will look this week.

[itjclarke]

Would love a baseball Thorpe eventually, but happy to have this one in the meantime.

[Leon]

E224

https://luckeycards.com/e224meyers.jpg

[slidekellyslide]

A favorite subject of mine. The Nebraska Indians.

[t206fix]

More Moses Yellowhorse - 24 Zeenut

I recently found out he is a distant relative of mine - An aunt of mine uploaded an interview from her mother, Lucie (Davis) Long, a long time resident of Pawnee, Oklahoma. The interviewee asks Aunt "Ludie" about who used to come visit her when she was little... Low and behold, the magic words... "Tom and Bertie Yellowhorse were related to us. We're related to Tom, not Bertie..." I know, I know, all Indians are cousins/aunts/unlces to each other, so this info definitely has an asterisk next to it, but still...

The picture included is of my great, great grandma Eva Running Scout, my Aunt Ludie and Roan Chief (not related, but married my gggma).

[slidekellyslide]

Very nice Tony! My 3Xgreat grandfather was full blood Cherokee.

Here's a postcard of the Oxford Indians team circa 1910. The owner of this team (James Beltzer, top row first on the left) would purchase the Nebraska Indians team in 1912.

[SAllen2556]

Rudy York. His maternal great-grandmother was a full-blooded Cherokee Indian.
430741

[Bram99]

TedZ,

Thanks for the thread and I agree with your views on the HOF candidacy. I wish you had several votes on the veterans' committee!

Tony

Hey Tony

An awesome collection of Allie Reynolds cards you have on display in Post #5.

Career-wise, Allie Won 182 games, lost 107. With the Yankees (1947 - 1954), his record is 179 - 67 (when you include Saves) for an exceptional W-L % of .73
Although, Reynolds was Casey Stengel's premier starting Pitcher, Casey would not hesitate to use Allie in relief in a crucial game. Especially, when the Yankees
relief Ace, Joe Page, was no longer on the team. Furthermore, Allie was a pretty good batter.

Allie deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, and another factor which I don't understand is why the Yankees never retired his uniform # 22.

Allie Reynolds and Joe Page, perfect together......

https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan77/tedzan77/1949BReynolds.jpg . . https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan77/images/1948BowmanJoePage.jpg



Take care Tony,


TED Z

T206 Reference ( http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=237816)
.

[tedzan]

Two great athletes on one card....Ted Williams and Jim Thorpe.


https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan77/tedzan77/1959FLTedWilliamsJimThorpe.jpg


TED Z

T206 Reference ( http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=237816)
.

[Lobo Aullando]

Beat me to it.

Not that I have that card, and it is a pretty cool one.

Two great athletes on one card....Ted Williams and Jim Thorpe.


https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan77/tedzan77/1959FLTedWilliamsJimThorpe.jpg

[h2oya311]

A few Chief Meyers stamps - 1911 Helmar and 1914 Piedmont...would love to add a 1914 Pritchard Stamp to join the fray...hint, hint!:

https://photos.imageevent.com/derekgranger/baseballstamps/helmarstamps/websize/1911%20Meyers.jpg...https://photos.imageevent.com/derekgranger/baseballstamps/1914piedmontstamps/websize/1914%20Meyers%2025.jpg

[slidekellyslide]

Some large size cabinet photos of the Nebraska Indians teams.

[Leon]

Well, no doubt one of these has Indian lineage.

https://luckeycards.com/ruthsem.jpg

[oldjudge]

The greatest athlete ever:

[Jobu]

Thorpe with the Giants. And if I can squeak a little football in, Thorpe, Joe Guyon, and Elmer Busch with the short-lived NFL team the Oorang Indians, and Elmer Busch when he was at Carlisle.

[Butch7999]

Ah, Seminole Village! We were there not quite, uh, sixty years ago (yikes!)... watched a muscular Seminole wrestle an alligator.

A couple of really poor photos of some pretty good photos -- oblique angle to avoid reflections...
these were from the 2008 "Baseball League of Nations" exhibit at the Iroquois Indian Museum in Howe's Cave, New York,
near Cooperstown.
First some Nebraska Indians, for Dan, then Allegany Senecas, then Tonawanda (New York) Senecas...

Oh, and the IIM website maintains a page about that 2008 exhibition -- more photos and a video here:
https://www.iroquoismuseum.org/2008

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

My old friend Chief Hogsett denied his Native ancestry to me once when I was over at his house. To be fair, he was in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's at the time, and the subject never came up between us when his mind was clearer.

As could be expected, there are numerous players with at least partial Native background. I've found so many over the years, and their ancestry isn't common knowledge. Unfortunately, the majority weren't specific as to tribe(s), mostly listing "Indian" or some derivation of that terminology.

Here's a more modern player who I just learned today was part Native.

[slidekellyslide]

Ah, Seminole Village! We were there not quite, uh, sixty years ago (yikes!)... watched a muscular Seminole wrestle an alligator.

A couple of really poor photos of some pretty good photos -- oblique angle to avoid reflections...
these were from the 2008 "Baseball League of Nations" exhibit at the Iroquois Indian Museum in Howe's Cave, New York,
near Cooperstown.
First some Nebraska Indians, for Dan, then Allegany Senecas, then Tonawanda (New York) Senecas...

Oh, and the IIM website maintains a page about that 2008 exhibition -- more photos and a video here:
https://www.iroquoismuseum.org/2008

I remember that exhibition. A gal named Stephanie was in contact with me and sent me pics since I could not visit in person.

[Leon]

s74 Meyers miss cut, factory and brand at bottom

https://luckeycards.com/ps74x2miscuts.jpg

[mullings]

I have been working on this project for a few years437560

437561

437564

437567

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Does Louis Sockalexis appear on anything even approximating a card?

EDIT: From his playing days.

[mullings]

update on my native american project
553494
553495
553496
553497
553498

[oldjudge]

The greatest of them all

[JustinD]

The greatest of them all

Very nice Jay.

[egri]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51376937259_5fa710de97_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2mh1ev6)[/url] [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/193753409@N08/] (https://flic.kr/p/2mh1ev6)

[jingram058]

As a young kid, I remember 1951 very well. Bobby Thomson's "shot (HR) heard around the world", and Allie Reynolds 2nd No-Hitter that year. Check out this scenario......
Final weekend of the season. Ted Williams is at bat with 2 Outs in the 9th inning. Allie has his 2nd No-Hitter going. Williams pops a flyball behind Homeplate. Yogi Berra
drops it. Reynolds fires the same pitch again. Williams pops it up again behind Yogi, but this time Yogi holds on to it to complete the No-hitter.
After all these years, I can still recall that event which I watched on our tiny 12-inch TV. And, I very well recall Mel Allen referring to Allie as the ..... "Super Chief".

Allie Reynolds was 1/4 part Creek Indian. He started pitching in the Majors for the Cleveland Indians in 1942. The Yankees traded for Reynolds in 1946, after Joe DiMaggio
persuaded the Yankees Front Office to acquire him.
Personally, I think Allie Reynolds should be in the HOF. His numbers and other factors support this. SABR does a great write-up on Allie....check-it-out: https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/allie-reynolds/




https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan77/tedzan77/1949BReynolds.jpg . https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan77/tedzan77/1949BReynoldsB.jpg




John "Chief" Meyers was Matty's battery mate (1909 - 1915). His grew up in California, his Mom being a Native American of the Mission Indians tribe.
He was one of the better hitters, regarding Catchers, during the Deadball era. His career BA is a respectable .291


https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan77/tedzan77/websize/AB460Meyers.jpg . https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan77/tedzan77/websize/AB460MeyersB.jpg


TED Z

T206 Reference ( http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=237816)
.

+1000 on all of that. I have always thought of Allie Reynolds as a truly great pitcher.

[jingram058]

What a great thread!

[BobC]

The greatest of them all

Wow, that is an absolutely great item Jay. Never seen that pin before. As for the player though...............

https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/louis-sockalexis-the-indian-athlete-with-the-tragic-flaw/

https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2014/03/18/the-cleveland-indians-louis-sockalexis-and-the-name/

[Natswin2019]

This is my favorite card of a player with native heritage, Chief Bender. He was a member of the Ojibwe tribe in Minnesota.

[clydepepper]

553659

[doug.goodman]

A Paul Thompson photo of Jack 'Chief' Meyers

[RUKen]

Louis Leroy, image from the April 28, 1906, edition of the Boston Globe.
(I do not own a copy of this newspaper.)

[Kawika]

Great scholarship in this thread. My contribution to the gallery, a Bain photo of Jim Thorpe in 1914.

[yanksfan09]

One of my favorite card images!

[Rhotchkiss]

The greatest of them all

Jay, I agree with you. What a piece. And Erick, I agree with you that that is one of the all-time greatest images.

I collect Jim Thorpe, so here is what U have, not all Baseball

[yanksfan09]

Thanks Ryan, amazing Thorpes!

[BobbyStrawberry]

.

[jakebeckleyoldeagleeye]

Don't forget Gene Locklear. He also had the Locklear Collection inserts in the 1993 and 1994 Ted Williams Card Co.issues.

[slidekellyslide]

The Oxford Indians were a barnstorming team that tried to capitalize on the success of the Nebraska Indians team. They were out of the small town of Oxford, Nebraska and they had a much harder time recruiting actual Native Americans to their team than the NI did. I was able to add a 4th different card to my collection a few weeks ago.

[slidekellyslide]

Here's a Type 1 of Chief Meyers

[tod41]

Rick Monday has claimed Native American Heritage in the past.

[tod41]

553912

[GeoPoto]

Nobody has brought this guy up.

Filomeno C. "Phil" Ortega. Pitcher for the Washington Senators in 1965-1968. 46 wins and 2 saves in 10 MLB seasons. Was of Yaqui Indian descent; his nickname in the clubhouse was "Tears on my Pillow". Debuted with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1960. His best season was 1967 for the Washington Senators as he posted a 10-10 record with a 3.03 ERA in 219.2 innings pitched. He finished up with the California Angels in 1969.

"There can't be more than six hundred Indian baseball fans in Southern California, but there are (far more) Mexicans. . . I could have scalped (Phil Ortega) the other day when he told Vin Scully on the pre-game show that he is an Indian." - Buzzie Bavasi, as quoted in the book Viva Baseball

https://www.net54baseball.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=555194&stc=1&d=1675253613
https://www.net54baseball.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=555195&stc=1&d=1675253619

[doug.goodman]

Allie Reynolds snapshot from spring training in 1948

[tedzan]

Allie Reynolds snapshot from spring training in 1948

Hi Doug

You had to see him pitch to appreciate how good he was. I was fortunate to see him pitch from 1947 - 1954.
Either on TV, or live at Yankee Stadium. His two No-Hitter's in 1951 were amazing performances.

Allie Reynolds deserves to be in the HOF.


. https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan77/tedzan77/1949BReynolds.jpg . https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan77/tedzan77/1949BReynoldsB.jpg


TED Z

T206 Reference ( http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=237816)
.

[doug.goodman]

Allie Reynolds deserves to be in the HOF.

Well Ted - When I am elected commissioner I might put you in charge of the HOF so you could make that happen.

Doug

[Exhibitman]

The greatest athlete ever:

Lionel Conacher might dispute that.