1891 Cedar Rapids Photo with McGraw + other IDs

[rholmes]

I picked up this 1891 Cedar Rapids Canaries cabinet from the latest LOTG auction. McGraw was already identified but no other players were and I finally got around to figuring out a couple others.

- The first player, at the close end, is Bill "Wiz" Hoffer, who ended up having a few very good to great years pitching for the Baltimore Orioles, 1895 to 1898.
- Second in is an 18-year-old John McGraw. Having this cabinet in hand and being able to optimize scans etc I'm just about 100% confident this is him. Anyway, he'd be in Baltimore a few months after this photo was taken.
- The third guy in is Henry Fabian, who eventually became well known as the groundskeeper at the Polo Grounds, a job he would hold from 1913 until the time he died in 1940. I've always thought Fabian to be a compelling baseball story, so finding him in the photo is pretty cool.

I'm going to try to ID a few more guys further down the bench, but it'll be harder as details get smaller.

Click through for larger scans:

[drcy]

Resembles a period Kodak snapshot, which had circular images and were mounted as cabinet cards. Though the back would have Eastman or Kodak on back.

[WillowGrove]

Really good job Ray. Thanks for posting.

[milkit1]

Love this photo! Just thought Id share this photo from 1951 showing Bill Hoffer (second from left bottom) who must likely out lived everyone else in your photo.


1951 red sox reunion.jpg

[rholmes]

Great photo Sean, thanks for posting it. Hoffer lived until 1959, and was an artist after baseball, among other things. The drawing in the article below is his, a self-portrait:



Here's one of Henry Fabian in 1934 with Bill Terry:

[milkit1]

Love seeing these pictures of these 19th century players later in life. Thanks for sharing!