So Who Is "Trying To Catch Him Napping?"

[Big Six]

I purchased this card thinking that it showed Hal Chase. The Cincinnati player indicates I'm likely wrong, though. Any thoughts who it could be? Or, as someone offered, was a photo of Chase used and it's just been attributed to the Giants via creative license?

It's not Merkle or Snodgrass or Devlin as all were righty.
Could it be Fred Tenney?

Trying to Catch Him Napping...


Hal Chase...


Hal Chase Photo...(note interlocking NY on left arm)


The uniform itself seems to be most similar to a 1910 Giants road but the hat is off (should be dark, not white).

Thoughts???

[wolf441]

It could be Tenney, as he did play 1st base, but only through 1909 with the Giants.

[nolemmings]

If I had to guess, I'd say Tenney. One or both of two things happened--the artist took some license and/or Okkonen's reference material is mistaken.

As for the latter, Okkonen does not show that the Reds had any blue uniforms with Cincinnati spelled out across the front during the years 1906-1913, yet the many T206 cards and others showing this combination make it likely that the team in fact wore it. Assuming that the Cinci blue with red were only worn on the road, that would make the Giants a home uniform most like a 1909 Okonnen example--solid socks, white cap (but no stripe in cap). 1908 had stripes in both cap and socks, but in red.

As for the former, I still have trouble conceptualizing what the heck is happening. Presumably there is someone throwing back to first base. It would almost have to be a loose ball behind the plate with the catcher throwing for the baselines to make sense, and then one would wonder why the pitcher, mound or 3B are not shown at all. Strange.

[Paul S]

From the 1st baseman's 6:30 o'clock pose, how do you know he's not a righty? Left hand in glove, right hand hidden but in or near the mitt? I tried finding a more defined image but none revealed. He's got both feet on the bag so that makes it more tough. I think that glove is on the left hand.

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by Paul S

From the 1st baseman's 6:30 o'clock pose, how do you know he's not a righty? Left hand in glove, right hand hidden but in or near the mitt? I tried finding a more defined image but none revealed. He's got both feet on the bag so that makes it more tough. I think that glove his on is left hand.

Card in hand, it looks like the left hand is bare and the glove is on the right hand. Also, the glove looks too vertical to be on the left hand, so I'm sticking with my belief that the fielder is left-handed...

[Paul S]

Must be the monitor on the laptop I bought local off of Craigslist a few years back.

[wolf441]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

As for the former, I still have trouble conceptualizing what the heck is happening. Presumably there is someone throwing back to first base. It would almost have to be a loose ball behind the plate with the catcher throwing for the baselines to make sense, and then one would wonder why the pitcher, mound or 3B are not shown at all. Strange.

I completely agree about the missing pitcher, mound and 3rd baseman. Also, if it's a pick off throw to first, why is the 1st baseman facing away from the field?

And why am I analyzing this like it's the Zapruder film??? "Back.....and to the right. Back.....and to the right."

[drumback]

You can't really trust the T3 set for accurate uniform styes, colors or background. If you take a look at a couple of the original photos, for example Mullin and Lajoie, this becomes clear very quickly. There may very well have been other players in the original background.

[itjclarke]

I think it looks like a lefty thrower, hence a first baseman. If so, I love that the runner is getting back to first using a foot first hook slide. Doesn't seem like the quickest way to get back on a pick off attempt, but I guess it had enough style points to be on a baseball card.

[T205 GB]

It could be 3rd base. Looks like the dirt patch behind the slider could be where the 3rd baseman stood and it could depict an overthrown attempt at a pickoff and the 3rd baseman is waiting for the ball to come back in. Don't see anything in the field to say it first or second base. Did they have foul ball poles or out of bound lines then??