Very cool history behind White Sox at Royal Gorge 1910

[GregMitch34]

I was happy to purchase today this oversized postcard that I've eyed for some time, for the cool setting and hand-tinting, even before I looked into the back story. It has been variously set in 1909, 1910 and 1911, but it's definitely the White Sox and they are at Royal Gorge in Colorado with something called the "Hanging Bridge" behind them. But what else?

Well, it seems (from my research) that the photo was taken, in B & W, by a well-known railroad photog named Beam on Feb. 27, 1910. The Sox were on their way to spring training--in San Francisco. Here's the original caption for the photo from the archives: "Men, women, children, and the Chicago White Sox pose by a Denver and Rio Grande passenger car and the Arkansas River at Hanging Bridge, in the Royal Gorge, Fremont County, Colorado. Baseball team owner Charles A. Comiskey wears a fedora hat." He's the tall guy in rear center, instantly recognizable when you know where to look (and from Cracker Jack photo).

The site is very famous as part of the long and bloody railroad war between two companies starting around 1880, where both sides hired gunslingers, including Bat Masterson and Doc Holliday. The Hanging Bridge, I thought, might have been used for...hangings...but instead it was a unique feat of engineering that could actually carry trains across the river at a place where there was no room for tracks on one side.

There's another quite different photo from the same day, also with the Sox, a little closer to the bridge, that I have not seen on postcards. The train itself is interesting, for railroad buffs.

Has anyone ever IDed the players in the photo, such as Ed Walsh, Doc White, Chick Gandil and others? Can you?
http://www.net54baseball.com/attachm...1&d=1394830361

Awesome photo with a great history. As a collector that's the ultimate two-fer.

[brianp-beme]

I only really collect vintage cards, but this postcard is just incredible, better than any card. I love how some of the players are just casually hanging on to the railing out over the gorge. Thanks Greg for sharing it and its story.

Brian

[Bpm0014]

Why did they travel in their uniforms back in the day??

[buymycards]

I have been to the Royal Gorge several times. It is a beautiful spot just outside of Canon City, Co. (pronounced Canyon but I don't know how to put the little squiggly thing over the o.

Nice pick up!

[Wildfireschulte]

I've owned a copy of the smaller (7421) version of this postcard for a long time and always understood that Gandil is in the red sweater on far left and Duffy is in the green sweater far right.

[GregMitch34]

I sort see a semi-green on but don't see the red sweater... so where's Walsh and Cicotte?

[Wildfireschulte]

Sorry - I was referring to my smaller version postcard of the same seen. Interesting that standard postcard size has more color added. I have been told Gandil is far left in Red and Duffy far right in green. No Cicotte on team yet.

[Dto7]

Here you can see all three photos from that day

[John V]

Thanks Don. ID-ing the players should be easy with those photos. Here are enlargements of red sweater, green sweater & Comiskey.

[CamaroCPA]

Originally Posted by buymycards

I have been to the Royal Gorge several times. It is a beautiful spot just outside of Canon City, Co. (pronounced Canyon but I don't know how to put the little squiggly thing over the o.

Nice pick up!

I've been there a handful of times myself. It definitely is gorgeous. And that bridge is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay up there now!

[slipk1068]

Awesome postcard. Great story. Thanks for sharing.

[GregMitch34]

Another photo of 1910 Sox to help ID players...

http://www.goodwinandco.com/ItemImag...16587a_lg.jpeg

[GregMitch34]

Red sweater guy on left looks nothing like Gandil to me. However, the guy at rear right with white cap sure looks like him--face, and ears that stick out a bit, and he looks young (which fits Gandil in 1910). Or he could be guy in center in white cap and dark shirt, angular face.

In fact, I would say red sweater guy might be Ed Walsh, comparing photos. Don't see anyone else who looks like Ed.

[bmarlowe1]

The faces can be seen on the Denver library site. The red sweater guy is not Walsh. The guy far right in the back holding the flag is not Gandil - he is Ed Walsh.

[GregMitch34]

Yeah, you may be right on Walsh with flag.

I love Walsh's stats for 1910: 18-20, 1.27 era. Team finished under .500. The true "hitless wonders."

Anyone spot Doc Casey.

[bmarlowe1]

Using the Denver library image I can see (in no particular order):

Ed Walsh, Billy Sullivan, Shano Collins, Bruno Block, Billy Purtell, Freddy Parent, Rollie Zeider, Ed Hahn, Frank Smith, Hugh Duffy, Lena Blackburn, Jesse Tannehill, and Frank Lange. I can probably pick out a few more. Gandil is not there.

BTW, the guy in the red sweater (far left) is Warren Gill.

If you want me to connect names to faces, please post in somewhat higher res with numbers near each face.

[Dto7]

Freddy Parent

Lene Blackburne

Lee Tannehill

[Greenmonster]

This is a 7X9" Mailing Card issued by the railroad featuring the team passing through the gorge.

[ooo-ribay]

Greg's, Jim's and K Farrell's cards are all things of beauty. I love this kind of sleuthing even if it is a team/era I don't collect.

[bmarlowe1]

Doc Casey is not there.

Below L to R:
Billy Purtell, Billy Sullivan

[bmarlowe1]

Ed Walsh in the back with the fllag, below him below L to R in uniform:

Shano Collins, Bruno Block, Hugh Duffy, Fred Payne, Rollie Zeider, probably Bobby Messenger

[bmarlowe1]

Below L to R in uniform:
Warren Gill, ?, Frank Smith, Frank Lange, Cuke Barrows, ? (holding baby)

[bmarlowe1]

Ed Hahn

I of course agree with Don on Tannehill, Blackburne, and Parent. The rest I don't know as yet.

[GregMitch34]

Thanks for all the great detective work. Why would Casey (a star)not be there? I suppose Gandil, just starting out, was in some kind of minor league camp, if indeed he is not in picture.

[Dto7]

Originally Posted by GregMitch34

Thanks for all the great detective work. Why would Casey (a star)not be there? I suppose Gandil, just starting out, was in some kind of minor league camp, if indeed he is not in picture.

Do you mean Doc White?

[bmarlowe1]

Originally Posted by bmarlowe1

Below L to R in uniform:
Warren Gill, ?, Frank Smith, Frank Lange, Cuke Barrows, ? (holding baby)

The guy holding the baby is Irv Young.

As for Doc Casey, you must mean Doc White. He is not present unless he is hiding behind someone.

[Dto7]

I think the reason Chick Gandil isn't there is because he lived in California and was waiting for the team to get there.

[GregMitch34]

Yes, meant Doc White, of course. Maybe he was operating on someone in town.

[GregMitch34]

Doc White is in the second photo, just to right of the train engine, in my opinion.

http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm...id/16242/rec/1

[bmarlowe1]

If you mean him, I would agree.

[GregMitch34]

Not the guy directly in front of him?

[bmarlowe1]

No Greg. The guy I indicated (below left) is Doc White.

[bmarlowe1]

The guy you indicated, below left, is not Doc White.

[Dto7]

Willis Cole

[Dto7]

This could be Fred Olmstead

[Dto7]

Sunday March 6, 1910 The San Francisco Call newspaper

[GregMitch34]

Wow, fantastic work. So Ban Johnson is probably in photo somewhere. Also, it seems Gandil should be in the picture--but no mention of Doc White. Of course, that list could be wrong. Quite a train trip--via Portland detour....

[GregMitch34]

If folks have missed start of thread, I kicked it off with research on this over-sized postcard, which I just obtained, but here it is in bigger close-up:

http://www.net54baseball.com/attachm...1&d=1394979328

[Dto7]

Harry Suter

[GregMitch34]

You sure that's not Ted Cruz?

[bmarlowe1]

Originally Posted by GregMitch34

Wow, fantastic work. So Ban Johnson is probably in photo somewhere. Also, it seems Gandil should be in the picture--but no mention of Doc White. Of course, that list could be wrong. Quite a train trip--via Portland detour....

No - neither Ban Johnson nor Gandil are in the photo.

Newspaper lists like that are always a help, but frequently have some inaccuracies. Also - people can be on the train but not in the photo.

[nolemmings]

Looks like Freddie Parent front row third from right seated, next to Lee Tannehill with child.

[bmarlowe1]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

Looks like Freddie Parent front row third from right seated, next to Lee Tannehill with child.

Already identified in posts 17 & 18 above.

[nolemmings]

oops

Is that Irv Young holding the baby?

[GregMitch34]

Yes on Irv, also already IDed.

[nolemmings]

Maybe someone could focus in and show us pics of the guys that remain unidentified?

[bmarlowe1]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

Maybe someone could focus in and show us pics of the guys that remain unidentified?

Todd - it isn't that complicated, for the identified faces why don't you just read the thread? You can see the full photo at the Denver Library site (link provide by dto7 - you can find that also in this thread). The unknowns are the guy right of Parent, the guy above Tannehill, the obscured player just left and above Collins, the player right of Suter, and the player right of Gill.

[nolemmings]

You're right, it isn't that complicated. So you guys can surely figure it out.

[bmarlowe1]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

You're right, it isn't that complicated. So you guys can surely figure it out.

We pretty much have. Taking the time to read the thread would indicate that. 21 out of 26 in a spring photo that includes a number of very obscure faces that did not make the roster is quite good I think.