Baseball items from early 1900's

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Posted By: Dave

Curious if anyone here owns any actual items from any players 1800s-1910ish. Any jerseys, gloves, cleats, bats? Would be interesting to see pics if so and of whom.

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

I have an old bat, from about 1906 to 1909, was used by Howard Wakefield, who was in the majors a brief while, played at Indianapolis after that. Do you want to see an image of that?

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Posted By: Dave

Yeah I'd love to see stuff like that. How did you get your hands on it?

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Dave, you should check out the game used forum - there you will find many people who have items like that in their collection.

http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_forum/

I know of a few people here who own cabinets and cards that belonged to the players...most recently Deacon White's collection was auctioned off by Hunt's and even had two game used bats from the 19th century.

The only things I own from an ex-player in the early 1900's are some photos taken by Matty McIntyre and a postcard with Roy Ellam's T206 pose that came from his estate.

Joe McGinnity and Hooks Wiltse


Jimmy Archer


Roy Ellam T206 postcard


I also have some items that were once owned by Joe DiMaggio, but that doesn't fit the timeframe you were asking for.

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Posted By: Joe D.

wow - you have awesome stuff.

all right up my alley.

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Posted By: Dave

I agree love the Mcginnity and Wiltse out of uniform look.

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

I have a bunch more of the McIntyre photos on my website if you are interested

http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/Vintage%20Baseball%20Snapshots/?start=40

here's one of Davy Jones

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Here you go...

Hillerich and Bradsby had a big store of cracked bats. These were marked and held as pattern bats. If a player needed new bats he could write or wire, H&B would find the old pattern bat, dowel down some new bats, and send them off. My belief is that most players started the year with 2 bats, back at the turn of the century. Two bats would usually last the player the entire year. Most of the pattern bats were cracked. The black markings above the bat label are part of H&B's patern markings.

This bat came from that stock, when H&B was moving about and relocating. It is about 37" long. Wakefield is stamped there into the barrel, for Howard Wakefield. In 1908, which is when I'm guessing this bat is from, Wakefield hit .275 for Toledo and Indianapolis in the American Association. In the majors he'd caught for Cleveland and Washington, 1905-07. In that 1908 year he'd have been on teams with some T206 players, including pitchers Durham, Marquard, and Lattimore. The labeling on this bat dates it about 1906 to 1909, I think. Someone here might know more about that than me.

The long bat, thick handle, slight taper is typical of bats of the era. When I got this bat I also got one of Ernie Orsatti, the Cardinals gas house gang center fielder. It's on display in the museum in St. Louis. That bat is shorter, thicker barrel, thin handle, typical of the bats in use after Ruth started bustin' 'em. It wasn't just juiced baseballs, white clean balls (after Chapman and Mays), and the disappearance of spitters, bat physics had a bit to do with the increase in home runs and batting averages. In the 30s, as now, bats break. In the old days they'd last forever. You can go kill snakes with that old bat, or beat rugs. it is tough!








and one more image of that handle....

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Posted By: davidcycleback

I once owned the below 1866 silver belt buckle awarded to one Chas Force. He
was crowned best base runner at a tournament in Rockford IL.



Though not a buckle collector, I also once owned Jimmie Foxx's gold belt buckle.

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Posted By: Jay

I remember Huggins and Scott auctions had a uniform from a Macon southern leaguer two auctions ago. I don't exactly remember what it went for but I remember it was a very nice piece.

Regards,
Jay Kaplan
T206kid

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Posted By: Mike

If I remember correctly that uniform was a little tattered and didn't sell real well. I want to say like $750 but I'm not sure.
Mike in Michigan

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Frank, the label on your bat dates it to 1921-1931. 1921 was the first year that "Made in USA" appeared on the label. It replaced the old dash dot dash (--.--) design.

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Oh... you're breaking my heart. Somewhere I have 2 pages of H&B labels illustrated, chronologically, starting with just the Hillerich bats, and going to modern times. That list (wich I can't put my finger on at the moment) showed this label from about 1908 thru about 1918, to the best of my recollection. But you may well be correct leaving me disappointed with my bat. I find it difficult to believe that many players were waiving around a 37 inch bat in the late 20s. What source or reference to you base the notion that "USA" wasn't on there until your later dates??? I've got some other bats I'm curious about.

Thanks.

Frank.

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Posted By: MVSNYC

frank- beautiful bat! is it a coincidence that you share the same last name "wakefield"? are you related?

anyway, looks like there was not a "wakefield" in the majors between 1921-1931...but frank's story holds water- howard (1905-07)...

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Frank, I got the information out of Bushing and Knoll's Mastronet reference and price guide for collecting game used baseball bats.



Could be a coaches bat? Did Wakefield coach? It's obviously a professional model bat.

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

No relation. I bought the bat because of the same last name, and the guy selling it said it had been Howard's. He seemed to be a knowledgable seller, not a rip off fast talker. From someone other than him I got that 2 page listing of bat labels... either my recollection is off, or the list was errant, or both!!

And I don't think Howard coached in the majors, he's not listed in that coach listing in Total Baseball. He might have done minor league coaching, I've suspected that the reason Indianapolis had him wasn't his hitting or fielding, they wanted his major league experienced mentoring.

I recall a Wakefield that played in the minors in the 20s that killed himself, I recall that mentioned in the first Bill James Historical abstract. Maybe this bat is one of his. Still, folks aren't using long bats like that in the late 20s.

Since you guys seem to know bats, this is a pro model bat of the time, isn't it?

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Frank, I would say that it's definitely a pro model bat. It has sidewriting on it which means it was probably used at H&B to make more bats to the same specification. The block lettering though means this was probably for a minor league player. 37" is long, but not unusual as Chick Hafey used a 37" bat..even Don Drysdale swung a 37" bat.

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Posted By: Steve M.

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Posted By: Joe Jones

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Posted By: Mike H

Dan is correct about the proper dating of this bat.

Mike H.

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Hey Dan,

Thank you for your help and guidance.


Frank.

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

No problem Frank. I have some info for you that will be mailed out tomorrow. I wouldn't be disappointed if I were you about this...I would take it as a challenge to figure out the history of the bat. It is afterall still a Wakefield.

[marywake]

Hi
I am new to this and am trying to locate photos of my grandfather Howard Wakefield. He played for the Cleveland Naps and also the Washington Nationals then onto Chicago to manage Springfield Baseball Team. My grandfather pass long before I was born so I have very little memorbilia so I am trying to find photos. I have many photos of my uncle Dick Wakefield and am always looking for more. My husband played in the Cleveland Indians farm team in the 1960's.
Well thank you in advance for any information.

Regards
Marywake

[marywake]

yes could you show a photo of the bat? Howard Wakefield is my grandfather.

Mary Wakefield

[rhettyeakley]

This has nothing to do with the bat, but here is a lesser known card from 1948-49 from Kellogg's PEP Cereal featuring Dick Wakefield...


Also, I can't find any record of any cards produced for Dick's father Howard Wakefield.
-Rhett

[FUBAR]

is Mary any relation to Frank ?

[bmarlowe1]

Originally Posted by marywake

Hi
I am new to this and am trying to locate photos of my grandfather Howard Wakefield. He played for the Cleveland Naps and also the Washington Nationals then onto Chicago to manage Springfield Baseball Team. My grandfather pass long before I was born so I have very little memorbilia so I am trying to find photos. I have many photos of my uncle Dick Wakefield and am always looking for more. My husband played in the Cleveland Indians farm team in the 1960's.
Well thank you in advance for any information.

Regards
Marywake

Mary,

Here is one. If you PM your email address to me, I can email you a nice scan of a 1906 Naps photo that includes a very clear view of Howard.

He also appears on page 133 of "Baseball Memories 1900-1909" by Marc Okkonen. They are a bit scarce, but you can usually find a used one online.

[marywake]

Frank
Please post an image of the Howard Wakefield bat.
Where and how did you get the bat?
Howard Wakefield is my grandfather and dick wakefields dad.
Do you have any photos of Howard Wakefield?

Thank you
Marywake

[marywake]

Hello
Howard Wakefield did manage a baseball team.
He managed in 1914 in Springfield Illinois.

Mary Wakefield

[marywake]

I am not related to Frank as far as I know there isn't a Frank in my family.

My uncle is Dick Wakefield and my grandfather is Howard Wakefield. That is why I am trying to get some photos and more information that I don't have.

Truly enjoying digging into the past. My uncle was a lot of fun and came to Ohio alot and told us storys and most of all he love ice cream so that's what he love to do packe the kids in the neighbor hood into his car and take us all for ice cream!

[marywake]

Thank you!

You are right as far as we know he didn't have a card.
Still looking for any photos I don't have and any memorbilia from my grandfather that might be out there. He passed away many years before I was born.
I did get to spend time with my uncle dick whom also was my god father.
thank you again!

[marywake]

so sorry it's taken so long to get back to you.

Could you still scan the photo of Howard Wakefield
here is my email address: oring1313@wowway.com

Thank you so much in advance
Mary Wakefield Oring