View Full Version : Who was Bill O'Brien and what team is he associated with?
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05-31-2008, 12:43 AM
Posted By: <b>fkw</b><p>Hopefully someone can help me with this.<br /><br />I was scanning some R314 "Wide Pen" cards and came across this one. I researched it a while back and came up clueless on what team Bill O'Brien was associated with and what he actually did for the team.<br /><br />This card/set is very rare (R314D ... aka type 5), so Im sure many (besides Tim Newcomb) have never seen it.<br /><br /><img src=http://centuryoldcards.com/images/1936r314dobriensgc50.jpg><br /><br />Thanks for any info, Frank
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05-31-2008, 05:16 AM
Posted By: <b>LetsGoBucs</b><p>Well there was a William O'Brien that played in the 1880/90's, better known as Darby O'Brien. He played for only 6 years but did have a year with 146 runs and 91 stolen bases. However he died in 1893 so not your guy.<br /><br />Billy O'Brien played for the Washington Nationals in the 1880's but he also died soon thereafter.<br /><br />The online Baseball America executive's database only goes back to 1950 unfortunately. If I think of another way to search for scouts/executives while I'm cutting the grass today I'll come back.<br /><br />
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05-31-2008, 05:36 AM
Posted By: <b>Jeff Mohler</b><p>I think most of the 314D Wide Pens were associated with the Montreal and Toronto teams, so perhaps Bill O'Brien was a coach or executive with one of those teams. I seem to remember from Tim Newcomb's article in Old Cardboard that the R314A Detroit Tigers were also reissued in the R314D set.<br /><br />Jeff
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05-31-2008, 07:11 AM
Posted By: <b>john/z28jd</b><p> He was the long time trainer for the Montreal Royals. Big Bill O'Brien
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05-31-2008, 10:59 AM
Posted By: <b>Tim Newcomb</b><p>John beat me to it-- he's right, O'Brien was the Montreal trainer. Not sure why he rated a card and all other trainers in the world don't, but looking at him, you can just see him pounding oldtime players with liniment, can't you?
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05-31-2008, 06:27 PM
Posted By: <b>fkw</b><p>Thanks everyone.<br /><br />On internet I did see something about a Bill O'Brien as a trainer for a Montreal Hockey Team too, in the mid 1930s, so that makes sense. Thanks for all the info.