Rotograph Team Postcard help needed

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Posted By: Jeff J

Need some help.
This appears to be an early 1900's original Rotograph postcard of
the University of Chicago Foot Ball team.

So far it seems to contain the famous coach Amos Alonzo Stagg,
as well as possibly Robert "tiny" Maxwell, Walter Steffen and Walter Eckersall???

Beyond those possibilities I know nothing.
Can anyone help with either a set this belongs to (if any?)
or any other info about other possible players?

Also can anyone confirm that those 4 mentioned above are actually in this photo?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks Jeff J

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Posted By: andy becker

if you email the scan to me, i will try to date and id the players for you.

edited to add, i've got to blow the pic up....my eyes are older than i am

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Posted By: Jeff J

Andy, Here's what I have learned so far: This identifies two college HOFers and the Coach.
I still know nothing about the card itself...ie: set name, type, scarcity or value...

I think I have your answer: 1904

Here is how I came about this. I recoginized two of our Hall of Famers. Hugo Bezdek (row 2 2nd from right) and Walter Eckersall (row 1 far left) The only years that they played together were 1903, 1904 and 1905. I found a 1905 team shot in a book, so it's not 1905. I think it is 1904 and not 1903 beacuse Maxwell played on the 1903 team and I don't see him in the photo. The team roster does list a LW Maxwell but not RW Maxwell (Tiny) for 1904.

The number of lettermen for 1904 is 18. Players in the photo: 18. In 1903 they only list 16 letter winners.

Yes Stagg was the coach.


Thanks Jeff J

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Posted By: davidcycleback

Rotograph Co. made postcards. If that's the maker, Rotograph Co. Postcard would be the name.

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Posted By: jeffj

Dave Thanks. I figured, as it is imprinted that way in all 4 corners (embossed).

Any idea what set it's from? I can only identify the baseball ones which came in the same lot. Those were easy. This one is still a mystery???!!!

Thanks JJ

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Posted By: Michael Moran

Sounds like you've got the date on the photo - I looked at the book Eckersall of Chicago by William Peterson and saw the picture of the 1905 team - with a date clearly on the football. But in Robin Lester's book Stagg's University there is another picture of the 1905 team and it has quite a few additional players in it. I have a 1911 Cap and Gown, the U of Chicago yearbook, and there is a picture of the 1910 team, also with a clearly dated football. The yearbooks says it is volume 16, so there was an earlier volume with the 1904 football team - maybe the University archives has one they could scan and it would match the postcard. The Spalding Football Guide goes back to 1904 and that might also have a picture. The Notre Dame Library has an almost complete set of Spalding Guides going back to 1893.

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Posted By: andy becker

it is a 1904 team. the exact same image is in the 1905 spalding guide, page 20.

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Posted By: Jeff J

Andy,

Regarding which Maxwell, I noticed the message above lists the Maxwell as LW Maxwell, so it IS a different guy... and not Robert "Tiny" Maxwell.

So basically it's solved as to what year and shich players are on it.

Now the question is since I cannot locate it in any guide, what set if from and what's it worth?

Do I hang onto it (archival interest) or do I sell it?

Thanks JJ