INTERESTING UPDATE: 'The Fan -- His Book' 1910 guide

[Rob D.]

I picked up the booklet below recently, mainly because of the drawing of Lajoie on the cover. It appears to have been produced and distributed in Cleveland by The Guardian Savings & Trust Company. Measures a bit less than 3 x 6 inches and has 44 pages of schedules, records, etc.

It's not unreasonable to think that the bank issued these in more than one season. I know there are a number of Cleveland collectors who read the board. Does anyone have one of these from a season other than 1910? (I'm not going to ask if you want to sell it; I'd like to know whether Lajoie is on the cover of booklets from other years.)

Thanks, Rob

[barrysloate]

According to Anton Grobani, who compiled a definitive checklist of baseball books, guides, and pamphlets, it was only issued in 1910. Looks pretty scarce, never saw one before.

[Rob D.]

Thanks, Barry.

[JLange]

Rob, I have never seen that guidebook before. That is an incredible find. I will definitely be on the lookout for another or similar item. Thank you for sharing!

[nolemmings]

Rob,

Any chance it was published by Felix Mendelsohn? It looks like this 1916 booklet I won awhile back and at the time, I believe there was a 1915 booklet of the same name as mine also published by Mendelsohn for a bank.

[Rob D.]

Just checked the inside pages. Definitely published by The Guardian Savings & Trust Company.

[nolemmings]

Thanks Rob--maybe that's where Felix got the idea.

[HRBAKER]

Rob and Todd,

Neat emphemera!

[Rob D.]

What a funny hobby this can be. After posting about the above booklet this week (and not having remembered ever seeing one in more than 30 years of collecting Cleveland Naps and Indians memorabilia), this evening I discovered the two below within a collection of a veteran collector that I continue to sort through and sell.

As one can see, the booklet on the left is another copy of the one I originally posted, and the one on the right was issued in 1912. Logic dictates that Guardian also issued one in 1911, no?

I've not yet tried to determine whether the player depicted on the 1912 booklet is generic or a specific Nap. Any input -- other than it's Joe Jackson -- is welcome.

[HRBAKER]

other than it's Joe Jackson......or Charles Comiskey.

[deebro041]

Originally Posted by HRBAKER

other than it's Joe Jackson......or Charles Comiskey.

Can't really tell with his hat on.

[Rob D.]

It's like a virus that can't be contained, spreading to other threads on the board. I feel like a supporting actor in Outbreak.

[barrysloate]

Very interesting Rob. I guess Grobani had never seen the later edition when he compiled his checklist. The 1912 may be even rarer than the 1910. And yes, you would assume there is a 1911. Perhaps none have survived!

[JLange]

If the 1912 cover is a specific player, My guess would be Naps star pitcher Vean Gregg. He went 23-7 and led the league with a 1.80 ERA in 1911. Only thing is that he was a lefty and it's hard to tell exactly from the cover pic, but almost looks like a right handed pitcher. If you look at Vean Gregg's 1914 cracker jack card, you could see a minor resemblance to the cover pic in profile but the comparison is difficult to make..