Earliest Known Color Baseball Photo or Slide?

[GoCubsGo32]

Does anyone have or know what the earliest color baseball photo or slide is?

I'll start with what I have...two candid snapshot photos from 1950 Boston Braves @ Braves Field
and a 35mm color slide from May 1949 Philadelphia A's vs. New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.

[aquarius31]

Hand colored salt print 1860s.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lucas00]

I've shared these two cardinal snaps before but they are both stamped April 20th 1949.

However the style of birds on the bat was changed to the more "upright" cardinals in 1949. The design shown in these two shots is 1948 or prior. So either these were developed late, or they still had the old style in spring training.


I have seen Kodachrome prints from the early 40s, I have no doubt that some exist of pro ball players from that time period, just have to find them.

[NiceDocter]

Somewhere in my collection I have a couple of glass slides in color from around 1915... major league baseball game shots, nothing close up. They could have been "colorized" not sure. If I find them I will post......

[Chris-Counts]

Here's a snapshot of Ruth Richards and Alice Pollitt, who played together with the Rockford Peaches from 1948 to 1953. I wish I could read the date stamped on the back, but it looks like an old print.

[Lucas00]

Real color photos weren't invented until I believe the mid 30s. So anything before that would be hand colored. I don't think anything would exist (snapshot wise) prior to the early 40s.

[Hankphenom]

Not sure about photos, but color film had been well developed (no pun intended!) by the late 1930s as documented by the incredible series, "When It Was a Game," largely consisting of ballplayers' home movies taken at ballparks. "The Wizard of Oz" and "Gone With the Wind" were both released in 1939, and there hasn't been a color movie to match those since. In all my research into the life of Walter Johnson, I have never seen a color photo or film of him, despite the fact that he lived until 1946, well into the color era. But color was expensive, and not considered necessary for many years after its invention. Photos from my youth are all black and white until about 1967, when suddenly they're all in color from then on.

[GoCubsGo32]

Originally Posted by aquarius31

Hand colored salt print 1860s

Thank you! That's pretty awesome! I'd say that's a good early start!

Originally Posted by Hankphenom

Not sure about photos, but color film had been well developed (no pun intended!) by the late 1930s as documented by the incredible series, "When It Was a Game," largely consisting of ballplayers' home movies taken at ballparks. "The Wizard of Oz" and "Gone With the Wind" were both released in 1939, and there hasn't been a color movie to match those since. In all my research into the life of Walter Johnson, I have never seen a color photo or film of him, despite the fact that he lived until 1946, well into the color era. But color was expensive, and not considered necessary for many years after its invention. Photos from my youth are all black and white until about 1967, when suddenly they're all in color from then on.

Thank you Hank for sharing your knowledge and research! I'll definitely have to watch that series and keep a look out for the player's home movies.
I thought for sure something might be out there of WaJo.

Originally Posted by Chris Counts

Here's a snapshot of Ruth Richards and Alice Pollitt, who played together with the Rockford Peaches from 1948 to 1953. I wish I could read the date stamped on the back, but it looks like an old print.

That's a great one Chris! Might be the first color snapshot of AAGPBL I've seen.

Originally Posted by NiceDocter

Somewhere in my collection I have a couple of glass slides in color from around 1915... major league baseball game shots, nothing close up. They could have been "colorized" not sure. If I find them I will post......

Looking forward to seeing it!

Originally Posted by Lucas00

I've shared these two cardinal snaps before but they are both stamped April 20th 1949.

However the style of birds on the bat was changed to the more "upright" cardinals in 1949. The design shown in these two shots is 1948 or prior. So either these were developed late, or they still had the old style in spring training.


I have seen Kodachrome prints from the early 40s, I have no doubt that some exist of pro ball players from that time period, just have to find them.

Originally Posted by Lucas00

Real color photos weren't invented until I believe the mid 30s. So anything before that would be hand colored. I don't think anything would exist (snapshot wise) prior to the early 40s.

Thanks for sharing Lucas! I believe you are correct either ST 1948 or ST 1949 with recycled previous year uniforms. Unless you can figure out what Garagiola is signing

Interesting thing I noticed about your color snapshots & mine are both are rounded corner edges vs. straight edge. Wonder if that's how it came?

In terms of color baseball snapshot photos, I haven't seen anything earlier than yours (as of now). In theory, earlier photos "should" be out there...but I never seen them Given the cost and WW2 I do wonder if that's another factor into not discovering more earlier snapshots.

Even early & mid 1950s color baseball snapshots are very tough to find, since families went with 35mm slides instead.

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by GoCubsGo32

Thank you Hank for sharing your knowledge and research! I'll definitely have to watch that series and keep a look out for the player's home movies. I thought for sure something might be out there of WaJo.

That would have been my guess, too, but by now I'd bet against it. Of course, his last ten years before he died in 1946 he was pretty isolated on his farm. But...not THAT isolated: He was the Nationals broadcaster in 1939, and that's when a lot of those color home movies were shot at the ballparks; and he ran for Congress in 1940, but I guess color photography was in its infancy then. You'd think there would be some color film taken at the grand opening of the HOF in 1939, but I've never seen any. There's still stuff out there waiting to be discovered, though, so who knows?

[NiceDocter]

Probably colorized but old. Date of 1907 crossed out to 1908. I’ve owned this for 45 years or so. Major league park? Let the experts chime in!!! Rocky

[Topnotchsy]

Originally Posted by Hankphenom

That would have been my guess, too, but by now I'd bet against it. Of course, his last ten years before he died in 1946 he was pretty isolated on his farm. But...not THAT isolated: He was the Nationals broadcaster in 1939, and that's when a lot of those color home movies were shot at the ballparks; and he ran for Congress in 1940, but I guess color photography was in its infancy then. You'd think there would be some color film taken at the grand opening of the HOF in 1939, but I've never seen any. There's still stuff out there waiting to be discovered, though, so who knows?

Maybe the best shot would have been at WWII Bond Games?

[seattlerainiers]

Here's a color Kodak snapshot of cup of coffee major leaguer Chet Johnson, pictured here with the Western Int'l League Tacoma Tigers, August 1942. Chet played 17 years in the minors, largely in the PCL

This came from Chet's own photo album, and unfortunately, was the only color snapshot present. I was quite excited when I discovered it.

[Lucas00]

Originally Posted by seattlerainiers

Here's a color Kodak snapshot of cup of coffee major leaguer Chet Johnson, pictured here with the Western Int'l League Tacoma Tigers, August 1942. Chet played 17 years in the minors, largely in the PCL

This came from Chet's own photo album, and unfortunately, was the only color snapshot present. I was quite excited when I discovered it.

Wooow! 1942. Unreal, this is a Kodacolor print. According to Wikipedia that is the first year of true Kodacolor printing of still images (probably not true and went back earlier). According to one source it was used as early as the late 20s, but was for filming, not stills. And barely looked better than B&W.

The difference with Kodachrome I believe is Kodachrome prints were created from slide film. And Kodacolor prints were more traditional and created from color negatives.

I'm not sure about the processes used to create color. But I do know Kodacolor can still be produced today. But Kodachrome slide printing was so complex and specialized it cannot be developed today in color, only in black and white. You can really see the quality difference in the two, Kodachrome almost looks as good as modern photography, while Kodacolor is almost sepia looking.

Amazing photo in any case!!

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by Topnotchsy

Maybe the best shot would have been at WWII Bond Games?

You would think, but I've seen a lot of those films, none in color. Doesn't mean there isn't one out there somewhere.

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by seattlerainiers

Here's a color Kodak snapshot of cup of coffee major leaguer Chet Johnson, pictured here with the Western Int'l League Tacoma Tigers, August 1942. Chet played 17 years in the minors, largely in the PCL This came from Chet's own photo album, and unfortunately, was the only color snapshot present. I was quite excited when I discovered it.

Cool!

[balltrash]

Originally Posted by GoCubsGo32

Does anyone have or know what the earliest color baseball photo or slide is?

Some years ago an auction house, I believe it was Grey Flannel, sold a lot of (2) oversized color photos of Babe Ruth in which he was in his very later years from what I recall. I am going only off of recollection but I believe the information provided was that Specs Toporcer had taken them with an experimental camera in the late 1940s. If true they would, by default, have to have been taken in 1948 at the latest and given Ruth's health that year probably a touch earlier. I can not find the Grey Flannel catalog in which they appeared.

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by balltrash

Some years ago an auction house, I believe it was Grey Flannel, sold a lot of (2) oversized color photos of Babe Ruth in which he was in his very later years from what I recall. I am going only off of recollection but I believe the information provided was that Specs Toporcer had taken them with an experimental camera in the late 1940s. If true they would, by default, have to have been taken in 1948 at the latest and given Ruth's health that year probably a touch earlier. I can not find the Grey Flannel catalog in which they appeared.

A number of the early all-time greats were captured in color--and in uniform--in the WIWAG series at old-timers events, or coaching, etc., and it's amazing to see them like that. Just off the top I can remember Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Cy Young, Honus Wagner (I think), Clark Griffith, Connie Mack, and others who lived into the color film era.

[Bigdaddy]

Originally Posted by Hankphenom

Not sure about photos, but color film had been well developed (no pun intended!) by the late 1930s as documented by the incredible series, "When It Was a Game," largely consisting of ballplayers' home movies taken at ballparks. "The Wizard of Oz" and "Gone With the Wind" were both released in 1939, and there hasn't been a color movie to match those since. In all my research into the life of Walter Johnson, I have never seen a color photo or film of him, despite the fact that he lived until 1946, well into the color era. But color was expensive, and not considered necessary for many years after its invention. Photos from my youth are all black and white until about 1967, when suddenly they're all in color from then on.

Great film and narration. Somewhere I have the DVDs. I believe they are now on YouTube.

[GoCubsGo32]

Originally Posted by NiceDocter

Probably colorized but old. Date of 1907 crossed out to 1908. I’ve owned this for 45 years or so. Major league park? Let the experts chime in!!! Rocky

Awesome, Rocky! Looks like Polo Grounds to me.

Originally Posted by seattlerainiers

Here's a color Kodak snapshot of cup of coffee major leaguer Chet Johnson, pictured here with the Western Int'l League Tacoma Tigers, August 1942. Chet played 17 years in the minors, largely in the PCL

This came from Chet's own photo album, and unfortunately, was the only color snapshot present. I was quite excited when I discovered it.

Wow!! What a great discovery in that photo album! Thank you for sharing this snapper.

[GoCubsGo32]

Originally Posted by balltrash

Some years ago an auction house, I believe it was Grey Flannel, sold a lot of (2) oversized color photos of Babe Ruth in which he was in his very later years from what I recall. I am going only off of recollection but I believe the information provided was that Specs Toporcer had taken them with an experimental camera in the late 1940s. If true they would, by default, have to have been taken in 1948 at the latest and given Ruth's health that year probably a touch earlier. I can not find the Grey Flannel catalog in which they appeared.

Is this it? I did some research and I believe it was from May 2001 auction based off what you mention. If you find the catalog would love to see pics of it since the site no longer has pictures available.

https://bid.greyflannelauctions.com/...ce?itemid=4591

[NiceDocter]

Spring Training 1947 on the back . I think this guy used to be a ball player when he was younger…….. could use someone’s help in reorientation of the photo of this obscure player…

[Chris-Counts]

Here you go Rocky ...

[GoCubsGo32]

Great color snapper of Wagner!!

[dspuria]

Apparently, in 1939, photographer Arthur Griffin met rookie Ted Williams at Fenway Park and took several photos with Kodak's new color film. https://griffinmuseum.org/ted-willia...rthur-griffin/

Here are some of the photos that I have acquired over the years from that photo shoot. I don't know if they are the first color photos, but they are pretty early images given that Kodak had just come out with commercially available color film.

[GoCubsGo32]

Those are beautiful Teddy photos! I don't think I've seen the one with the glove ever before, very cool -awesome collection!

Thanks for sharing the article as well! Looks like 1939 was the first time Williams was photographed in color on that day. Interesting to read the story behind it and that the film wasn't discovered until 50 years later...always makes ya wonder what else it out there.

[sicollector1954]

So sent a B.W photo and negative from circa 1946 to a company called They Played In Color and this is the result. (Snookie Harrell and Carolyn Morris) Morris was only with the Rockford Peaches until the 46 season ended I believe.

[MikeGarcia]

.. dude ! Jaw-dropping. Thanks for putting this out there.