Share an interesting fact about a t206 player

[David R]

As a t206 collector, I always like learning interesting tidbits about the various players in the set. It often makes me appreciate the cards of certain players about whom I previously had very little interest. Please share an interesting bit of information about a t206 player. Here's mine about Bill Bergen.

Bill Bergen played 11 seasons (3 with the Cinncinnati Reds and 8 with the Dodgers). He was a great defensive catcher. But given the length of his career, among non-pitchers he is probably the worst hitter in major league baseball history. Bergen had 3,028 at-bats with a lifetime batting average of .170, the lowest all-time average for players with more than 2,500 at-bats. With a career on-base percentage of .194, he is the only player with at least 500 at-bats with an OBP under .200.

David R

[Northviewcats]

Here is a short story about Wid Conroy that I have always enjoyed. Apparently, Conroy was very witty. The Washington Post, Feb 12, 1911, tells the story of a game where Conroy was coaching at third base. A local habadasher had pledged a new suit of clothes for the player that hit the first home run of the year at the ballpark. A team mate of Conroy really wanted the suit and hit a mighty drive to the gap in right field that seemed destined to win the prize. When the player reached third Conroy enthusiastically waved him home. Unfortunately, a great throw from the right-fielder nailed the player at home plate. As the player was dusting himself off Conroy yelled in from the coaching box that he got the player “the coat and vest, but forgot about the trowsers.”

[iggyman]

As my small tribute to Canada, how about "Turkey" Mike Donlin...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuhoD5EjUVM

By the way, this thread would look so much better with some pics.

[ATTACH][/ATTACH]

Lovely Day...

[AndyG09]

I have always found John "Larry" McLean to be an interesting player. He was one of the tallest players of his generation at 6'5". He caught in the bigs for 13 seasons with 5 teams, most notably the Reds from 06-12. He was the first New Brunswick born Canadian to appear in the World Series. He had a lifetime avg. of .262 with 6 Home Runs. Somebody believed he resembled Lajoie, so he was nicknamed Larry. McLean battled the bottle throughout his career and ended up getting shot and killed by a Boston bartender during a barroom brawl. He was 39.

[David R]

Great story about McLean. He's another player I didn't know anything about.

[slidekellyslide]

Roy Ellam, one of the Southern Leaguers in the T206 set died when a 150 LB weight fell off a fire escape onto his head.

[David R]

Another very under-appreciated player is George Mullen (of horizontal card fame):

Mullen pitched more innings in a career and a season than any other Detroit Tigers pitcher. He also pitched the Tigers first no hitter and had five 20-win seasons. He helped the Tigers to three straight American League pennants, twice hit over .310 as a batter and had a career 228-196 record.

[ethicsprof]

2 amazing stories about fans dying in the stands in response to Zach's
awesome hitting.
if i'm wrong on the details forgive me and feel free to add to the stories.
In 1915 a fan, an owner of a florist, i believe, got overly excited when
Zach tied the game in the bottom of the 9th with a homer. He got even more excited in the 11th when Zach won the game with another homer---the fan died.
In 1925 Zach won the game in the bottom of the ninth with another homer;
this time the fan seated next to Zach's wife died in excitement.
Remarkable, true stories.

Moral: Be thankful that you don't have to go to Zach Wheat games.

best,
barry

[iggyman]

What about the colorful Heinie "The Great Zim" Zimmerman (the last card in the set if sorting alphabetically). He was the goat of the 1917 world series, which for awhile rival the Merkle and Snodgrass boners. He was also subsequently banned by Judge Landis for his association with gamblers and prior history of crookedness. On a side note, he ended-up finishing his baseball career with an independent team called the Bronx Giants.

Lovely Day...

Zimmerman1.jpg

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Zimmerman2_Page_3.jpg

[Rob D.]

After he retired, Nap Lajoie had a pet dachshund. I know this only because:

1. I'm a fan of Lajoie;

2. I'm a bigger fan of dachshunds.

There actually is a really cool photo of Lajoie after his playing days ended taking his dog for a walk. I found it online, saved it to my computer, then lost it during a crash. If anyone by chance knows the photo in question, please drop me a line.

[barrysloate]

Back in the 1950's there was a popular show on television called "This is Your Life", and it was hosted by Ralph Edwards. The premise was they would surprise a celebrity and then have a host of people from that person's past come out and share memories. One of the show's subjects was Casey Stengel, and two of the surprise guests they brought in to reminisce were Irish Meusel and Zach Wheat. Zach was in his seventies by then but he looked very athletic and had huge hands. He spoke for a few moments about Casey's early career. Can anyone recall any other T206er who appeared and spoke on television?

[tedzan]

Simon Nicholls was a very devoted family man, who so loved his Maryland farm, that when Connie Mack scouted him from the Maryland
Agricultural College (now Univ of Maryland), Simon would commute to Philadelphia. Nicholls' life story is the "stuff" that used to inspire
some great true life Hollywood BB movies.
Connie Mack acquired Nicholls at the end of the 1906 season. Simon was an average hitter, but an excellent shortstop. One of Nicholls'
best days at bat was on Opening Day of Shibe Park on April 12, 1909. He got a Double, 2 Singles, and a Walk. He scored 4 Runs to win
the 1st game at the A's new Stadium....in front of an unprecedented 35,000 fans.

In December 1909 Connie Mack traded Nicholls to Cleveland. This trade really upset Nicholls since it took away from his family and farm.
So, after 3 games with Cleveland, Nicholls retired. That season he connected with Jack Dunn, Manager of Baltimore (Eastern League),
who was impressed with Nicholls' play and made him field captain in 1911. Unfortunately, Nicholls contracted typhoid fever and died at
the young age of 28 on Mar 12, 1911.

Nicholls 350 Series card (batting) was actually designed as a 350/460 Series Subject. This we know since it has an American Beauty 350
back (without a Frame). However, it is an anamoly in the T206 set since his Batting pose was never printed with any 460 series backs.
Perhaps, this was due to his Major League career ending in early 1910.


TED Z

[CMIZ5290]

One of my favorites is iron man joe mcginnity. Played professionally forever, all the way until he was 55 years old! His t206 representation was when he was in his twilight years as a minor leaguer.

[barrysloate]

Dan- I didn't know you guys could sneak in like that. It was one of those lines that sounded funny when I wrote it...then I reread it and it wasn't as funny.

[judsonhamlin]

Jack Quinn is the only person to appear as a full-time player in both T206 and the 1933 Goudey set, and is the only non-HOFer to appear in those two sets as well.