Posted By:
RhysI recently was able to pick up two obscure items on ebay which were of previously unknown significance to 19th century collectors. I have attached links and breif discriptions.
Jimmy Ryan retired from baseball after the 1904 season. The Colgans chip set has a rare player which not many examples exist named Ryan for St. Paul, but there is no first name given. I have confirmed that this is indeed Jimmy Ryan who played in the 1880's, by finding this exact photograph elsewhere with Ryans name on it. Everything I have ever read says he successfully entered the business world after his playing days, so I do not know why he is pictured with St. Paul in 1909, 5 years after he retired.
The other interesting item is a 1903 W601 team composite form LA of the first ever PCL year. Pictured at the bottom in his last year in professional baseball is Dummy Hoy. Since he only has about 4 legitimate "cards" this is a fairly interesting item. Not only that, but it is the last collectible which pictures him in a baseball uniform. Look just to the right of Hoy and you will see another familiar face. It is the first documented image of Gavvy Cravath in uniform as well.
Thought this might be of interest to you guys since both are popular players, and both are items which carry rare or previously undocumented images of them.
Finding interesting items like this is what makes this hobby fun for me, even on a Law Student budget.
Rhys