[Keith H. Thompson]

the use of the word "Malarial" as a nickname to describe a player having a "hot streak." For example, I have a cabinet card of Sam Thompson identified only by the name "Thompson" written on the front and "Malarial Thompson" written on the back. I bought it from Terry Knouse some years ago who found it in a collection of Player's League cabinets. It is a unique pose and Terry asked me if my great uncle ever had a nickname. At the time neither of us could decipher the name, as it was written in nearly illegible cursive script. In fact, I did not think it was Sam Thompson at all, since he is posed in a fancy suit unlike any of the family cabinets I have, and I was suspicious of the Philadelphia Photo Studio.

I did some research and came to the conclusion that the card almost certainly was commissioned by the Philadelphia Player's League entry and was identified for their files only as "Malarial Thompson" Sounds strange for sure, but what other explanation is there? Digging deeper, I have found several contemporary newspaper articles (both Chicago and Detroit) wherein Thompson is accused of having "malaria," and I can cite other players as well.