Posted By:
MarkClint --
The question of who owns the reproduction rights to an image is very complicated and best anwered by a copyright attorney who practices in that area.
Images that were published before a specific date (I think the date now is around 1924) are copyright free, so that would include the Spalding and Reach Guide images we have been talking about. (unpublished images don't have that statute of limitations).
However, HoF is not going to scan their images for you unless you pay them, and sign a contract if you want to publish it. Obviously, some of their old images had been published, others not. Also, just becuase HoF (or any other imnage holder) grants you reproduction rights doesn't necessarily mean that they actually hold the rights to the image!