Help identifying Al Schacht photo

[mark evans]

Does anyone happen to know in what capacity Schacht appears on his 1940 Play Ball card? I don't know how to post photos (sorry) but card appears readily on eBay. Schacht pitched for Senators from 1919-1921, then coached for Senators from 1924-1934, and finally coached for Bosox in 1935 and 1936.

Although hard to tell, it looks like his jersey might read "Boston." BUT, he looks considerably younger on the card than he does on his 1936 World Wide Gum card (again sorry -- appears in eBay closed auctions), where he is almost certainly pictured as a Boston coach and so described on the back of the card.

Thanks.

[birdman42]

Mark,

Schact was the "Clown Prince of Baseball" for many years. Check the photo on his '39 PB. No idea why they thought it would be a good idea to show him in the Boston uni; by then he'd been touring with the clown act for 4 years, so no affiliation with any team. Sort of the Morganna of his day.

Bill

[RGold]

No answer to your question, I just collect Cardinals photos.

1946 World Series, Musial, Schacht and Slaughter.

[mark evans]

Originally Posted by birdman42

Mark,

Schact was the "Clown Prince of Baseball" for many years. Check the photo on his '39 PB. No idea why they thought it would be a good idea to show him in the Boston uni; by then he'd been touring with the clown act for 4 years, so no affiliation with any team. Sort of the Morganna of his day.

Bill

Thanks, Bill. Again, sorry no pix. One of these days I'll cajole my granddaughter (20) into teaching me the finer arts of computing.

According to the various sources available via Google, Schacht (and Altrock) performed as both coaches and clowns for Washington from 1924 - 1934, with Schacht even acting as manager during one month in 1934. I don't believe his 'touring' began until after he left Boston in 1936.

Assuming the photo derives from the 20s which appears to be the case, I'm still at a loss to explain why the uniform appears to be from Boston. Maybe he put it on as a joke while coaching/clowning for Washington. Or, maybe it's a Senators uniform after all, hard to be certain.

Mark

[bwbc917]

I'll just confuse the issue further. When Schacht toured it was not unusual for him to wear the uniform of the "home" team. I also think that being a "coach" was part of the act. Just got done reading his 1941 autobiography. Lotta great stories in it and he still had years to go.

[mark evans]

Originally Posted by bwbc917

I'll just confuse the issue further. When Schacht toured it was not unusual for him to wear the uniform of the "home" team. I also think that being a "coach" was part of the act. Just got done reading his 1941 autobiography. Lotta great stories in it and he still had years to go.

Thanks, Chris.

It looks like that must be the answer: Schacht wore a Boston uniform for the photo, likely taken when Nats playing Bosox during his coaching/clowning days with Washington.

[thecatspajamas]

Al Schacht was a coach for the Boston Red Sox in 1935 and 1936. The 1940 Play Ball image



appears to be from 1935 with him in a Red Sox road jersey sans hat.



The image for his 1939 Play Ball card



also appears to depict him in a Red Sox uni (underneath his trademark coattails and battered top hat), and would have been taken in 1935, judging by the socks.