1918? White Sox Spring Training Postcard

[JimmyArcher]

I picked up this postcard about fifteen years ago and still haven't been able to identify more than about half of the players. I was hoping the group might be of some assistance.

I posted this back when I initially obtained it and it was thought that the photo was taken during spring training of 1918. I am certain of the spring training part, as it was printed in Mineral Wells, Texas, home of White Sox spring training during that era.

In addition, it was pulled from a scrapbook belonging to pitcher, Paul Musser.

Here's what I am thinking so far:

Back: Risberg, Musser, ?, ?, ?, ?, Byrd Lynn
Middle: Joe Benz, Ted Jourdan
Front: ?, ?, Hervey McClellan, ?, Nemo Leibold, Fred McMullin, ?

Any help or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

[nolemmings]

Link not working for me

[nolemmings]

Front row, second from left is Felsch.

[jingram058]

Wonder who that fellow is front row center? Looks like he's wearing one of those fur lined hats with the pull down bill and ear muffs. Must be pretty chilly. Looks like he's wearing some pretty thick round glasses, too.

[ThomasL]

I have IDed all but the African American and the man in a suite on the end! I love this post card! It will be featured in a sabr article Im writing!

[ThomasL]

This will be a spoiler to the piece I am working on but here ya go!

Yes this is from the 1918 spring training in Mineral Wells, Tx. This is the 2nd team, called Yannigans. Shano Collins was in charge of the 2nd team and the presence of Fred McMullin aids in dating the time of the picture as he was moved to the 1st team at one point.

Here are my IDs which are 100% correct:

Top Guy: Guinn Williams
2nd Row (L-R): Swede Risberg, Paul Musser, Shano Collins, Nello Tedschi, Byrd Lynn
3rd Row(L-R): Joe Benz, Ted Jourdan
Bottom Row: L-R): Tip O'Neill, Clarence Metz, Hervey McClellan, unknown, Nemo Leibold, Fred McMullin, Unknown*

Now who here knows who Guinn Williams was???? He was only in over 100 movies...Big Boy Williams and he was a walk on that helped the Sox out in 1918 and was invited back to train in 1919!

[ThomasL]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

Front row, second from left is Felsch.

Felsch is not in this picture, that is Clarence Metz

Felsch was on the 1st team the whole camp and at the time this photo was taken was traveling outside Mineral Wells...you can date this photo by tracking when Fred McMullin was on the 2nd team

[ThomasL]

The last man sitting far right might have been a player and if so really could only be one guy, Pat Hargrove, but I dont have a good comp photo of him so hard to tell. This photo was taken after the 1st team left Mineral Wells as the presence of McMullin narrows the time frame as he was on the 1st team, moved to the 2nd team (which this photo is of) and then moved back to the 1st team. Newspapers give clear rosters of both teams throughout camp.

Really been trying to ID this guy...if it is a player I think it can only be Pat Hargrove as he was who was sent to replace McMullin on the second team

I have 3 1918 spring training photos with mystery guy(s) in them...I will attach a composite of all three mystery guy(s)...

[ThomasL]

Guinn Big Boy Williams...

[ThomasL]

Thomas Ray was the first cut from the 1918 White Sox spring training. He was a large 18-19yo and is in this photo, far right, from camp in 1918 with Joe Jackson and my mystery man. His absence from this postcard also helps date it.

[ThomasL]

Best photos I have of Pat Hargrove...

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by ThomasL

Guinn Big Boy Williams...

that is a cool piece of history with the Big Boy

[JimmyArcher]

Wow, so much information and so many names that I never would have guessed.

I've been collecting Black Sox related items for over twenty five years and this is probably my favorite piece, so it is great to know more about the others in the photo.

I would love to read the article and will definitely try to learn more about the others in the photo.

[ThomasL]

Here is a little something I found about Nello Tedeschi

https://mightycaseybaseball.com/2017...-iron-country/

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by jingram058

Wonder who that fellow is front row center? Looks like he's wearing one of those fur lined hats with the pull down bill and ear muffs. Must be pretty chilly. Looks like he's wearing some pretty thick round glasses, too.

Moses 'Fleetwood' Walker?

[jingram058]

Originally Posted by Yoda

Moses 'Fleetwood' Walker?

As good a guess as any to this point. What I thought looked like thick round glasses, on second thought looks like gray eyebrows with his head down and his cap or hat tilted back. This fellow appears to be old enough to be Walker.

[ThomasL]

There were other non-players that traveled with the White Sox. Their African American trainer Buckner was not with the Sox in 1918 and Harry Stephenson replaced him but he was traveling with the 1st team at the time of this photo.

Locals would help out and Mineral Wells had an African American community, it is possible he is a local.

the man on the bottom far right might be Harry Grabiner but Im not real sure and he looks older and thinner than what Grabiner would have been in 1918...I dont think I have eliminated Grabiner as a possibility and he did travel to Texas with the team in 1918.

[Chicosbailbonds]

Originally Posted by ThomasL

I have IDed all but the African American and the man in a suite on the end! I love this post card! It will be featured in a sabr article Im writing!

Nice, love the SABR journals.

[JimmyArcher]

Originally Posted by ThomasL

There were other non-players that traveled with the White Sox. Their African American trainer Buckner was not with the Sox in 1918 and Harry Stephenson replaced him but he was traveling with the 1st team at the time of this photo.

Locals would help out and Mineral Wells had an African American community, it is possible he is a local.

the man on the bottom far right might be Harry Grabiner but Im not real sure and he looks older and thinner than what Grabiner would have been in 1918...I dont think I have eliminated Grabiner as a possibility and he did travel to Texas with the team in 1918.

I was wondering about Grabiner myself for bottom right. I don't know that I've been able to find many photos of him from around this time frame for comparison. Most the photos I've seen of Grabiner are from his later years.

[ThomasL]

This portrait of Grabiner was in the 1919 History booklet of the Sox and Reds put out for the WS...only one I have found from the general time of that postcard.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by ThomasL

This will be a spoiler to the piece I am working on but here ya go!

Yes this is from the 1918 spring training in Mineral Wells, Tx. This is the 2nd team, called Yannigans. Shano Collins was in charge of the 2nd team and the presence of Fred McMullin aids in dating the time of the picture as he was moved to the 1st team at one point.

Here are my IDs which are 100% correct:

Top Guy: Guinn Williams
2nd Row (L-R): Swede Risberg, Paul Musser, Shano Collins, Nello Tedschi, Byrd Lynn
3rd Row(L-R): Joe Benz, Ted Jourdan
Bottom Row: L-R): Tip O'Neill, Clarence Metz, Hervey McClellan, unknown, Nemo Leibold, Fred McMullin, Unknown*

Now who here knows who Guinn Williams was???? He was only in over 100 movies...Big Boy Williams and he was a walk on that helped the Sox out in 1918 and was invited back to train in 1919!

Cool postcard and thanks for sharing info...
.