Interesting Old Judge card

[buymycards]

Hello, I have been watching this card on eBay for the past 2-3 years, and it has always intrigued me. The card was listed by a friend of mine who owns a card shop that is 40 miles away from me. Yesterday, I decided to drive to the shop and take a look at the card in person. I ended up buying the card, along with a couple of other older cards.

There are 3 things that are interesting about this card.

1. There is a label attached to the back of the card that says "Governor D. B. Hill". I checked online, and David Hill was the Governor of New York from 1885 through 1891. This OJ card was made in 1887, so did the Governor actually own this card? If so, I am curious about the way that he came across this card. Possibly he purchased a pack of OJ cigarettes and he was the original owner? Did Sid Farrar give him the card for some reason? Anyway, I always enjoy thinking about the history of old cards and I always marvel that they still exist after 130 years.

2. The team designation is "Philadelphias", with an "s" at the end of Philadelphia. He played with the Quakers and the Athletics. Did one of these teams call themselves the Philadelphias?

3. There is some writing on the wall near his right ankle. I haven't dug out my 100 power microscope to see what is written on the wall. Perhaps someone knows?

I have ordered the Miller:Masson Goodwin OJ book. Hopefully, when it arrives in a few days it will give me some additional info on this card.

Rick

[RUKen]

Originally Posted by buymycards

Hello, I have been watching this card on eBay for the past 2-3 years, and it has always intrigued me. The card was listed by a friend of mine who owns a card shop that is 40 miles away from me. Yesterday, I decided to drive to the shop and take a look at the card in person. I ended up buying the card, along with a couple of other older cards.

There are 3 things that are interesting about this card.

1. There is a label attached to the back of the card that says "Governor D. B. Hill". I checked online, and David Hill was the Governor of New York from 1885 through 1891. This OJ card was made in 1887, so did the Governor actually own this card? If so, I am curious about the way that he came across this card. Possibly he purchased a pack of OJ cigarettes and he was the original owner? Did Sid Farrar give him the card for some reason? Anyway, I always enjoy thinking about the history of old cards and I always marvel that they still exist after 130 years.

2. The team designation is "Philadelphias", with an "s" at the end of Philadelphia. He played with the Quakers and the Athletics. Did one of these teams call themselves the Philadelphias?

3. There is some writing on the wall near his right ankle. I haven't dug out my 100 power microscope to see what is written on the wall. Perhaps someone knows?

I have ordered the Miller:Masson Goodwin OJ book. Hopefully, when it arrives in a few days it will give me some additional info on this card.

Rick

I can help with #2 and #3. The National League team was the Philadelphias; the American Association team was always the Athletic (usually singular rather than plural). The "writing on the wall" is actually on the negative. It says Copyright 1887 Goodwin & Co. (It may be 1888 or 1889, but it is definitely a copyright statement.)

[buymycards]

Thank you!

[Joe_G.]

Hello Rick,

You will learn a lot more about Goodwin & Co. and their cards with the book. Regarding your three questions . . .

Originally Posted by buymycards

1. There is a label attached to the back of the card that says "Governor D. B. Hill". I checked online, and David Hill was the Governor of New York from 1885 through 1891. This OJ card was made in 1887, so did the Governor actually own this card? If so, I am curious about the way that he came across this card. Possibly he purchased a pack of OJ cigarettes and he was the original owner? Did Sid Farrar give him the card for some reason? Anyway, I always enjoy thinking about the history of old cards and I always marvel that they still exist after 130 years.

Your card was actually produced in 1889 and was likely distributed through a pack of Old Judge or Dogs Head cigarettes. It is card number 153-2c. This pose was first issued in 1887 and then re-issued in 1889 and 1890. It is also known in cabinet form (N173). It is possible that the governor himself was original owner.

Originally Posted by buymycards

2. The team designation is "Philadelphias", with an "s" at the end of Philadelphia. He played with the Quakers and the Athletics. Did one of these teams call themselves the Philadelphias?

The team is the Philadelphia Quakers. Goodwin would often list only the city and pluralize it.

Originally Posted by buymycards

3. There is some writing on the wall near his right ankle. I haven't dug out my 100 power microscope to see what is written on the wall. Perhaps someone knows?

RUKen provided the right answer, it is a Goodwin & Co. copyright.

All the best and enjoy the book.

[drcy]

There's no proof. But if someone's name is on the back, it is fair to assume it belonged to that person. I don't know other reason why a name would be on the back.

[rhettyeakley]

Interestingly Governor Hill also had his own cards made, they would look great framed together (the Lake Erie card is impossibly rare though)...




An example currently on ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/N133-DUKE-ST...cAAOSwRWVZz69b

[rhettyeakley]

Also, it should be pointed at that Sid Farrar while being a somewhat famous baseball player had a daughter that would become one of the most famous women/singers in America, Geraldine Farrar...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geraldine_Farrar

[buymycards]

Thank you all for the info. This is what makes the hobby interesting and fun. I put a bid on the Hill card on eBay. We will see how that goes.

Thanks again! Rick

[1880nonsports]

possible it belonged to him but I own and have owned quite a few cards and die-cuts that have been stamped at times by mischievous and wayward boys and girls long after the fact.