Let's see your vintage minor league baseball!!
 

I'll start this thread off with a vintage scorebook and reserved ticket from the oldest and most popular minor league franchise:
The Toledo Mud Hens.

This 1952 scorebook and ticket originate from long defunct Swayne Field in Toledo.

Think Jamie Farr (Klinger) and Tony Packos hotdogs, baby!

I am partial to old letters, so here's my take on the Mudhens.

This is my kind of thread!

Three photos from Lincoln's Antelope Park circa 1910

<a href="http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/1878-1946%20Lincoln%20Baseball/?action=view&amp;current=lincolnball1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/1878-1946%20Lincoln%20Baseball/lincolnball1.jpg" border="0" alt="c1910 Lincoln at Antelope Park"></a>
<a href="http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/1878-1946%20Lincoln%20Baseball/?action=view&amp;current=lincolnball2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/1878-1946%20Lincoln%20Baseball/lincolnball2.jpg" border="0" alt="c1910 Lincoln at Antelope Park"></a>
<a href="http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/1878-1946%20Lincoln%20Baseball/?action=view&amp;current=lincolnball3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/1878-1946%20Lincoln%20Baseball/lincolnball3.jpg" border="0" alt="c1910 Lincoln at Antelope Park"></a>

1953 Lincoln Chiefs Contest ball - now in my possession.

<a href="http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/1947-1961%20Lincoln%20Baseball/?action=view&amp;current=chiefsball53-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/1947-1961%20Lincoln%20Baseball/chiefsball53-1.jpg" border="0" alt="1953 Chiefs name origin-2"></a> <a href="http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/1947-1961%20Lincoln%20Baseball/?action=view&amp;current=chiefsball53.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/1947-1961%20Lincoln%20Baseball/chiefsball53.jpg" border="0" alt="1953 Chiefs name origin-1"></a>

<a href="http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/1947-1961%20Lincoln%20Baseball/?action=view&amp;current=004.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/1947-1961%20Lincoln%20Baseball/004.jpg" border="0" alt="1953 Contest Ball-Bill Hayes Autograph"></a>

Here's a 1941 Texas League team owned by the Tigers. In the letter thet are asking Detroit for $5000 to meet payroll.

http://www.qualitycards.com/pictures/beaumont.jpg

Great content in that letter Jay! The minor leagues had a rough go at it financially through the 1940-50s..I once had (maybe still do) a 1950s Amarillo Gold Sox check that was stamped "Returned: Insufficient Funds".

This is my lone Minor League piece. Original Letter dated Nov. 29, 1954. The Pittsburgh Pirates had already inquired to the Montreal Baseball Club regarding the contract status of Roberto Clemente, and this was the response they were waiting for. Now, we all know what Pittsburgh did once they had this knowledge...

I actually found this on ebay a couple of years ago.

Attachment 48171

Great stuff!
 

Great minor league stuff guys!!
It's amazing as a group, how much diversity we have in our collections.
Thanks for contributing to this thread. :D
Keep 'em coming!

Here's a 1937 Rochester Red Wings team issued premium which pictures Walter Alston (front row, second from right) in the team photo along with facsimilie autographs of all team members...............

Wow! Fantastic letter w/ Clemente status, that's museum quality

The only autographed Minor League T206 card in my collection:

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/w9R1wCYwqw1aLwOMlDDnNDiJm_Z5QsNdec5_I7WHZRE?feat=e mbedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-lU_hH5HeBT8/TZaKVGZSjKI/AAAAAAAAI8s/McwzG7OEjRE/s800/Blackburne_Auto_SGC50.JPG" height="633" width="800" /></a>

A Park promo?
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8Millers-1.jpg

Teddy Ballgame!! Cool!

Beatrice Blues, Nebraska State League 1928.

Lincoln minor leaguers real photo postcards

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...omasonauto.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...incoln1910.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...guestreet2.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...lincolnpc4.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...lincoln3-1.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...pclincoln4.jpg

Wow Dan, GREAT postcards!!

Love the giant baseball advertisment Dan. Reminds me of this pc,

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...nsBaseBall.jpg

Victoria Wenatchee 18 inning rppc.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6012/...8e898ec5_z.jpg

Hey, is that a young Babe Ruth in the lower right corner there? :)

Umm, yea. FS, one-thousand dollars!


Does your PC show the game at "3:30" as well?

Yep...must have been a popular time to start a ball game around 1910.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...guestreet3.jpg

Newark Indians 1913 pennant. This was their only championship season as they won the IL.

Omaha Cardinals in the class "A" Western League. While they were building municipal stadium (Rosenblatt) they played for two seasons in Council Bluffs.

Here's an ashtray from the '49 Eastern League champs --

Greg

I try to collect some items from the teams that are local to my area, so I pick up Wilkes Barre and Scranton Eastern League items when they show up. Other than programs, photos, and the usual, this ball is my favorite I have found so far. It was a game ball from when the two Rival teams met in a playoff and has both rosters listed on the ball. One of the pitchers at that time was Johnny VanderMeer, and it is noted on the ball. I think it is not only a really interesting item it might be the one of earliest VanderMeer item out there that I know since he was only in Class A ball at the time.

columbia and savannah reds
 

here are some items from my collection...

Tickets!!

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1947opener.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...cket1948-1.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...l/chiefs55.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...l/chiefs56.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...l/chiefs59.jpg

Beaver Falls and Keokuk
 

A 12x14 mounted photo of the Beaver Falls Pa. Browns and a schedule ticket stub from the Keokuk Ia. Pirates

That's one of the coolest ticket stubs I've ever seen. Nice!

1929 Sacramento Senators Program
 

Here's a 1929 Sacramento Senators program. The Senators played in the Pacific Coast League against the Seals, Angels, Oaks, Rainiers, Padres, Missions & Stars. I collect everything from the old Sacramento PCL teams.

Dan, you're right that is a great ticket. Here is one of my favorite minor league tickets in my collection:

1961 Indianapolis Indians Opening Day full ticket featuring a photo of the Indians organizations first team. As stated on the ticket it was their Diamond Jubilee year.

Very cool Scott! Is there anything better than baseball memorabilia? :)

Here's a small sampling from the Wichita Indians. The Tigers figural is of the Detroit Tigers.

Literally, a 'minor league baseball' story
 

I found an old beat-up baseball at my Grandmother's house - turned out to be a ball my Grandfather picked up at a Shreveport minor league game and had signed by at least one player, for my Mom. Well, my Mom promptly dropped it in a pile of black ink, completely obscuring the signatures.

Still, it was a neat piece of family baseball history (the only piece), so I kept it displayed in my glass-topped coffee table case. To my horror, I came home one day to find the dog gnawing the hell out of it. Somehow she had gotten it out of the case - must have been really tasty-looing. She chewed half the cover off. I still have it.

Reminds me of the recent car commercial that features a guy tossing an autographed Honus Wagner ball to his dog, 'Pickles'.

1953 KITTY League Championship Trophy
 

The 1953 KITTY League (Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League), teams were also located in Indiana and Missouri at various times, championship trophy awarded to the Paducah Chiefs located in Paducah, KY. Also in the picture is an arm patch from 1953 celebrating the Golden Anniversary of the League. The KITTY was a Class D league and existed from 1903 through 1955.

Shh. Don't let the card guys know.;)

Nope! I'm sure most of us started out collecting cards, but to me collecting baseball memorabilia is what it's all about.... ;)

Agreed - baseball players never touched the cards.

Ft. Wayne & Harrisonburg
 

The early Harrisonburg "Turk" player's identity is unknown but being researched at the current front office. The photo is 8" X 10". Thank you Dan and Scott for the complements on the Keokuk stub.

lew riggs - game used - 1933 columbus redbirds cap
 

I wish they still wore caps like this...

Sweet hat Chris!

Wonderful hat - I'm getting jealous of a lot of you all.

Minors
 

minors

more
 

more

No more need be said, other than to click the link and read the article. Perhaps the most jaw dropping, coolest article on minor league (ok, high school) vintage ball of all.

http://sportspressnw.com/2011/10/way...c-ambassadors/

http://sportspressnw.com/wp-content/...8814007923.jpg
http://sportspressnw.com/wp-content/...8885364996.jpg
http://sportspressnw.com/wp-content/...8810583695.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3.../1924links.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3.../1925links.jpg

Ernie Krenk (1928) and Don Gutteridge (1933) -Lincoln was using the same uniforms for at least 6 years straight.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...ball/krenk.jpghttp://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...gutteridge.jpg

Wonderful stuff (as usual), guys...

Chris, this Columbus Red Birds sheet music is also from 1933...I wonder if he's wearing your hat in the photo?:

http://s915.photobucket.com/albums/a...SHEETMUSIC.jpg

A 1927 Kansas City Blues program:

http://s915.photobucket.com/albums/a...ilia/005-3.jpg

And Columbus newspaper cartoonist Billy Ireland's original art proclaiming the opening of the 1905 American Association season:

http://s915.photobucket.com/albums/a...LLSIGNS014.jpg

That's a great item Rick! I guess its a pretty good possibility...

Amsterdam Rugmakers
 

I think 3 of the minor leaguers made it to the big show.



http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...rugmakers2.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...rugmakers3.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...rugmakers1.jpg
Rich S

1930's Birmingham Barons
 

Unknown player from the Birmingham Barons circa 1930's and his buddy.

In an effort to save money, the St. Paul Saints tried to recover foul balls by having the ushers hand out these cards to people who caught balls.

A 1926 St. Paul Saints watch fob.

One of my alltime favorite Saints, Bubbles Hargrave

Max,
I finally got around to reading this article on Ten Million and the 1907 Seattle High School baseball team. What a cool article!! Thanks for posting this. :eek:

Hi Rich,
Welcome to net54! I love your net54 name- Threadkiller- it's a classic! There are way more than 3 on your autograph list that made the majors. I count at least 13 making this a pretty neat piece IMHO. Congrats!

Amsterdam Rugmakers
 

Thanks Scott. I was referring to the signatures on the inside of the back cover, Joe Collins and Bill Drescher for sure and maybe Bob Alexander.

I've posted this before, but one of my favorites

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2702/...25f_z.jpg?zz=1

Just picked these up in a group with a team letter. Fist one is the program from the 1939 Gov. Cup would be Scrantons first, second program looks to be from 1941 from what I can tell. I have a presentation ball signed by the whole 39 team already that was given to a city official at the time so these should display nicely.

Very nice complimentary pieces!! ;)

Here's a Rochester Team postcard ca. 1910

http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/...terBroncos.jpg

These are full pages from the St Paul newspaper. I will edit later with better details. There are at least three more similar pages out there. I am interested if you have one (or more).

Doug

1938 Evansville Bees !
 

Three I League's 1938 Evansville Bees signed baseball
http://www.baseball-reference.com/mi...gi?id=e0c6aabd
Heres a reference for the team roster, guys like Otto Huber, Ralph Hodgin,
Whitey Wietelmann, and coached by Bob Coleman.

Elston Howard started his career in 1950 with the Class A Central League's Muskegon (Michigan) Clippers in 1950 - the team only used that nickname from 1948-50.

http://s915.photobucket.com/albums/a...ilia/011-1.jpg

Hi Rick,

If that is your music sheet of the Columbus Red Birds, I am intetested in buying or trading for it. I have a few other sheet music.

What a GREAT Thread! I do wish to thank everyone for sharing.

I only wish I had more than that to contribute. Maybe, someday...

Keep it Coming!


-Raymond

1948 Kenville Wildcats post card.
 

Cool postcard! Kentville was a semi-pro team in Nova Scotia. I see Dick Gernert on that card, he had a pretty decent major league career.

From a panarama of the 1945 Utica Blue Sox Eastern League Champions, showing a very young Richie Ashburn. PM me if you have any Ashburn/Utica stuff for sale