1936 Nat'l Chicle DiMaggio

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Posted By: <b>Steve</b><p>Hey PCL and Dago buffs,<br /><br /> Reportedly, In his first year with the Bombers, Joe wore #9 followed by #5... Is this shot from his Seals days (small ballfield) or Spring 1935 training camp days? Thankyou, Steve F<br /><br /><br />R313 <br /><img src="http://www.network54.com/Realm/tmp/1197659312.JPG">

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Posted By: <b>Paul</b><p>Just based on the background, it looks like spring training. Was there a catcher named Erickson in the big leagues at the time? Was there one in the PCL?

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Posted By: <b>Frank Wakefield</b><p>I could find no catcher in the PCL, 1934-1936, named Erickson.<br /><br />Hank Erickson caught in 25 games for the Cincinnati Reds in 1935.<br /><br />My old ragged Beckett's Alhpabetical list has one card for Hank Erickson, an R314, which is the 1936 Goudey wide pens.<br /><br />Looks like there is now a "fine pen" R313, too.

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Posted By: <b>Steve</b><p>yeah Paul, doubtful it's an MLB field or the PCL.<br /><br />Frank, The Erikson fellow played in the Nat'l league so I'm now thinking Exhibition game in Fla.<br />The dag must have opened the wrong locker that morning. <br /><br /><br />Thankyou for the replies. Steve F<br /><br /><br />Incidentally, In 1935, the Yanks and Braves both held S/tng in St Pete. This closeness may have facilitated Babe's ceremonial move back to Boston for his final season. The Reds (Erickson) trained across the Bay in Tampa, also in '35. <br /><br /><br />Babe in St Pete 1935. Of course it's just a WAG, but this park shares the same flavor as in the Dimag R313. <br /><img src="http://www.network54.com/Realm/tmp/1197738749.JPG"> <br /><br /><br />*pic and guano added

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Posted By: <b>Frank Wakefield</b><p>Agreed... spring training, uniform shuffling, interleague, Florida. And Erickson played only one season.<br /><br />So now I want to find a worn R313 like that one. There's much more going on with that card other than it being DiMaggio.<br /><br />FW II

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Posted By: <b>Steve</b><p>Frank, The fellows over at the NYY Fans history board have done a bit of digging into this photo and the #18 jersey issue. Interesting stuff;<br /><br />'Another theory on the DiMaggio/Erickson photo:<br /><br />Hank Erickson played only one season (1935) with the Cincinnati Reds. He had at least two catchers ahead of him in that organization (Ernie Lombardi and Gilly Campbell). He was only 28 years old in 1935, so there is no reason that he could not have been in Cincinnati Reds spring camp in 1936, but failed to survive the cut.<br /><br />DiMaggio started the 1936 season wearing uniform #9. Baseball Almanac shows that Catcher Art Jorgens wore uniform #9 in 1935 and returned to the Yankees in 1936. His uniform number in 1936, however, was #18.<br /><br />It is therefore quite possible that the photo is from Spring Training 1936, and DiMaggio swapped numbers with Jorgens sometime before Opening Day.'

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Posted By: <b>boxingcardman</b><p>DiMaggio blew out a knee in 1934. The Yankees signed a deal for him in November that year after he passed a physical but agreed to leave him with the Seals for 1935. He batted .398 with 154 RBIs and 34 HRs, led the Seals to the 1935 PCL title, and was named the League's MVP. I believe that the PCL season overlapped with spring training. <br><br>Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc

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Posted By: <b>Marty K</b><p>Steve,.... Hello, What is web site for this board?<br><br>GO YARD

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Posted By: <b>howard</b><p>Is there any chance that the batter shown on the card is not actually Joe D? He looks small compared to the catcher and umpire and the 5' 9" Arndt Jorgans wore number 18 in 1936.

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Posted By: <b>Steve</b><p><a href="http://www.nyyfans.com/" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://www.nyyfans.com/</a><br /><br />(Don't even mention you're a Red Sox fan)

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Posted By: <b>Steve</b><p>Source; Richard Cramer's bio, "JOE DIMAGGIO The Hero's Life"<br /><br />Ch6 p78;<br /> 1936... Joe heads east for the first time, along with Crosetti and Lazzeri. They drive for more than a week, from San Fran to St Petersburg for Yankees spring training. Furthur into the chapter on page 80, it is mentioned that Joe walked onto Miller Huggins Field wearing uniform number 18.<br /><br />Steve F<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Frank Wakefield</b><p>Look at the face.<br /><br />That is Joe D.

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Posted By: <b>Howard</b><p>I still can't tell from the face but Steve's post has convinced me.