Picked up this image of the 1905 Harvard team, featuring William Clarence Matthews, in Leland’s. I’ve been looking for an image of Matthews for about five years to fill I hole in a collection of images related to baseball’s color line.

Matthews went on to play for an integrated team in Vermont before leaving baseball. Boston’s Traveler newspaper wrote at the time:

“Because his skin is black he can never play on any but itinerant colored nines that at best eke out a hand to mouth existence.

With all its insurmountable handicaps, baseball is not the place for Matthews.

He should begin the battle for life somewhere else.”

And so he did.

Wow congrats on the important acquisition! Have you passed on others due to high prices or are images of him just so tough to find?


Scott - wow. A really special piece. Enjoy it.

Wow this has been an impressive month for pickups. Ben, Kenny, and Scott I am always happy to see such beautiful items land in the right collections. Bobfreedman amazing as always. I am so happy none of your collections venture into my little niche of the hobby. These are a few of my recent additions. The Clemente pin has long been on my want list and I finally came across one in nice condition. The Bob Gibson no hitter ticket was essentially a gift from Scott Garner. Scott your generosity was most appreciated. I have been building a collection of autographs from all members of the 1971 Pirates to include every player and coach who wore the uniform (44) owner, radio personalities, and the front office staff. This Bill Guilfoile letter serves as a great companion piece to my World Series pins and jewelry. It also fills a hole in my autograph collection. The link below is an article written by his son that relates to Clemente and is a great read for those that might be interested.

http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/pag...o-clemente-bat

Thanks!
 

Gary, Rob, MCygnik, Jonathan and Peter thanks for your kind thoughts.
Peter, it was great seeing you at the National!

Mike, it was my pleasure to fill a couple of holes in your 1971 Pirates ticket collection. You should consider posting a current want list on net54 to complete this portion of your collection. I hope you had a great vacation with your family.

Matthews Photo
 

Sphere and Ash: Congratulations on filling that gap in your collection!

Thank you. There have only been two photographs of Matthews offered during the last twenty-five years. The other one was in a catalog I didn't receive, and I missed it.

I'll also add my thanks to Scott for a Paxton no-hitter ticket. I have Paxton's other two most important balls - no-hitter and 1st appearance. Now I have the tickets to go along with them.

That's an amazing baseball you picked up!

His “two most important balls”? Not sure about that! :p

I get almost as excited as Mike when he adds something to his very focused collection!

Very powerful words expressing the prevailing attitudes of another time.
Your post piqued my interest. I have access to a website which offers scans of old high school and college yearbooks. Unfortunately there are usually a lot of years missing. Best I could do for Matthews was a citation for lettering in baseball in 1903 which indicated he was in the class of 1905. As it happens the 1905 yearbook, which presumably would have his graduation photo, was not available. I did see a few 1905 Harvard scorecards on eBay that listed Mathews on the roster.

ETA: Upon further perusing I stumbled across a photo of "The Varsity Nine" in the 1903 yearbook.

Thanks, David. The scorecards aren’t for me—I’m a photography collector with a few bats and balls—but they might be for other forum members. The scorecards are inexpensive relative to their historical importance.

What can I say, I'm taking care of all the WA state guys. :p;)
Thanks Scott. Glad to help both of you with your collections.

Agreed I love the 71 Bucs collection... my first series

GREAT pickups, Tom! Wow!

A recent pick-up

Today I've been cleaning this sweater I picked up a couple of weeks ago. Is there anyone else here who can't resist these? Currently drying, but it has dark blue cuffs and no letterman stripes on the sleeves.

Heading out to pick up another similar one in a moment (green and yellow).

Scott I have several myself. Most are really affordable which is a plus.

Can we get a picture of you, wearing it? :cool:

Perhaps. It was just a tad small when I tried it on, but it seems to want to be a touch bigger, so hopefully it will dry to fit.

I would look like a dork, but it would just be a different style of dork.

My newest Gehrig
 

1926 snapshot

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1881/...d3f5b5b1_o.jpg

Great Lou photo! Love the shot.

Picked up the enclosed EBAY items this week. Always on the lookout for pieces that bring to mind baseball history. Really liked these pictures because they combined 2 of my favorite collecting areas, Babe and St Mary`s school and the Black Sox. Pictures show the St M`s band performing, the Sox/Yanks changing out at innings end and the 3 men attending the game. As described, Babe took his boys band on the last road trip of 1920 and these pics were snapped in Chicago. Can`t really tell but that could easily be Joe Jackson and the other famed Black Sox trotting on the field for one of their last games ever. Judge Landis ended their paying days within a week in Sept of 1920. As a bonus, the seller also included 5 additional snap shots of FLA minor league players in the Dodger system.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/ORIGINAL-BA...UAAOSwQc5bZ2kD

That is really awesome!!! I love to see photos like that.

1915 Chicago Whales print
 

I got really lucky yesterday and picked up this 1915 Chicago Whales team composite print from a local antiques dealer. The frame has been replaced and it has some pin holes in the corners, a few small tears at the edges, and a couple light stains. I haven't been able to find another one so far in my research.

congrats
 

Matt, congrats! You always do a great job hunting at local antique shops and flea markets!

Very nice, Matt! Excellent pickup. :cool:

Whales print
 

Thanks Peter. It's nice to know there's still great stuff out there. Carlton, I don't have it with me right now, but I believe it's about 30" wide. I'll check later for exact measurements.

Federal League
 

Nice pick up Matt, I would like to know the dimensions as well

The March 27, 1915, issue of Sporting Life indicates that Guy Beard and Roy Ashenfelder had been signed by the team and were joining the Whales in spring training. The April 17 issue indicates that they both had been released; neither appeared in a Federal League game with Chicago in 1914 or 1915 but both are in the composite. This image must date from spring training of 1915.

Super piece, Matt. That would be the star of any Federal League thread.

size...
 

The Whales print, including the frame is 28"x 13".

1873 Peck and Snyder Encyclopedia
 

Picked up an early equipment catalogue, 1873 Peck and Snyder Encyclopedia with 20 colored engravings, many base ball related including some of players in specific team uniforms. I attached the Cincinnati Red Stocking one.
There are a few condition issues, including a missing leaf with a colored engraving of base ball hats.
You can view the Library of Congress copy online at internet archive. However, anyone who wants a specific page or type of equipment pages sent to them, just sent me your email.
If anyone has a copy of the catalogue I would greatly appreciate a copy my missing leaf.
By the way I could find no mention of the Peck and Snyder team photos.
My first attempt to post photos failed, but I will keep trying. Failed again so I will post this and keep trying with just the photos.

Great pickup, Bruce. Would love to see the pages with baseballs.

1873 Peck and Snyder
 

Paul, photos sent.
Unfortunately I have had difficulties uploading photos to this thread. Sorry. If you would like to see anything in particular please send me an email and I will shoot you a photo.

Finally 1873 a few 1873 Peck and Snyder photos
 

Just a few of the baseball ones, and a cricket one because it was the Wright’s club.
Reminder, if you would like to see any black and white equipment pages, I could email them to you or post them if enough interest.

I am fascinated by those early caps with the "star" at the crown/top.

You'd think that just one example might surface, but I have never seen a single one in 25+ years of collecting. Does anyone have an example they can post, or even just a link to an auction where one of these was featured?

Not optimistic, but would love to see an actual one (instead of a picture of one) before I die. :eek:

Bruce- Great equipment catalog. It's interesting to see the actual colors of the various clubs.

Thanks Jeremy, if I thought the St George or Cincinnati images depicted a Harry Wright I would send it to you. The uniforms are quite colorful.

Great pick up, Bruce.

Bruce- The St. George Cricket club also was involved in baseball matches back in the day. I have a trophy baseball from a match between the Unions & the St George Club.

Goodness me!!! How on earth did you come across this? Amazing!