Morgan Stationery - Red Belt PCs question

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Posted By: Glen V

The Red Belt postcards have images taken of the Reds around 1907. Of all the postcards, only one player (Miller Huggins) is identified. I saw one card where someone had written the players names next to their images. That got me thinking, has anyone identified the players on the Red Belt postcards? It would be nice to know who the players are. Maybe even see them listed in the standard catalog like: In Consultation (Ganzel, Coakley, Lobert)

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Posted By: Glen V

Someone must be interested in which players are on the Red Belts, or at least the challenge of identifying the players. Anyone have some scans to post?

Here's the '07 Reds roster: http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=1907&t=CIN

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Posted By: RobertS

Some are minor leaguers...i believe Toldeo, if memory serves, but i will double-check...

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Posted By: Eric

Good topic Glen, I've always wondered myself. This PC issue has really picked up interest over the past couple of years. I used to see them sell for $10-20 apiece, but now they seem to go well over $50 if they're in decent condition. The popularity would really jump too if the player names were identified with the cards, and checklisted in SCD in this manner. I only have one of the cards, so I wouldn't be able to help identify the players, but I'd be interested in knowing who each card features. Hopefully Robert (post above) has some luck.

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Posted By: RobertS

I managed to get some more info on these cards from various old books on postcards and collectibles, as well as through some old fashioned looking at the cards themselves (made difficult by the fact that I only own one of 'em).

The cards were published by Morgan Stationery of Cincinnati and feature mainly Reds players in their ballpark, The Palace of The Fans. However, several cards feature a ballpark that is unidentified (to-date), two feature painted backdrops and one was even taken at Boston's Huntington Avenue Grounds.

I'll provide more on the stadium backgrounds in a separate post, listing the stadium for each card (as enumerated in Tom Crabtree's "Baseball Stadium Postcards" book)

Here goes my first shot at the player identifications--

1) The obvious one (because it is IDed) is Miller Huggins, Reds (two variations exist -- one with stadium background, one with painted backdrop):


Card title: Huggins, Second Baseman Par Excellence
(image from OldCardboard.com -- painted backdrop version)

2) Sam Leever of the Pittsburgh Pirates (included because he was from Goshen, OH, according to one old guide):


Card title: Practise (sic) Makes Perfect
(image from JC's collection site)

3) Hans Lobert, Reds:


Card title: Use Two If Necessary
(image from JC's site)

4) Looks like Miller Huggins -- NEW INFO: PROBABLY PAT MORAN -- in a road uniform:


Card title: It's All In The Game / Noise
(image from JC's site)

5) Not Reds players, likely Toledo players (note the socks are not standard Reds uniform):


Card title: In Consultation
(image from my site, VintageBall.com)

That's all for now. I will try to post the stadium breakdowns later (seven cards IDed as Palace of The Fans, three not identified, and one IDed as Huntington Avenue Grounds).

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Posted By: RobertS

According to Tom Crabtree’s book, here are the cards with ballpark identifications:

Cards set at the Reds ballpark, the Palace Of The Fans:

1) "Huggins, Second Baseman Par Excellence" -- (3rd base stands visible)
2) "Opening Of The Season 1907" – (3rd base stands visible)
3) "Hit & Run" – (photo shot down left field line)
4) "In Consultation" – (mound shot with outfield walls in background)
5) "Practise (sic) Makes Perfect" – (outfield visible)
6) "Out To The Long Green" – (1st base grandstand visible)
7) "A Home Run" – (right centerfield visible)


Card set at Huntington Avenue Grounds:

1) "Safe" – (play at 2nd with infielder leaping


Cards set in unidentified ballpark:

1) "After a High One"
2) "Use Two If Necessary"


Fake backdrop cards:

1) "Its All In The Game / Noise"
2) "Huggins, Second Baseman Par Excellence" -- (alternate version)

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Posted By: Glen V

Robert - thanks for all the info!