A little help with some photos - Battle Creek and Adrian MI

[t206hound]

Well, I'm solely a collector of T206s, but I sent my father to an auction this morning to bid on some baseball photographs for me. As it turns out, he won the two lots for WAY less than my max. I thought they were pretty interesting photos, but I'm trying to place the exact date and teams. Most of the photos are of players from "Battle Creek" and there is one with three players from "Adrian." From the research I did, these could be photos of minor leaguers in the mid to late teens... or it could just be local semi-pro teams. Any help?
Battle Creek, Michigan
Adrian, Michigan

[thecatspajamas]

Not sure about specific players (these "anonymous" photos are a nightmare for me in that respect), but for possible teams/years, you have:

Battle Creek, MI: 1894 ????; 1895 (Adventists); 1902 (Caro Frutos); 1906-15 (Crickets); 1916 (Black Sox); 1919-20 (Custers)

Adrian, MI: 1895 (Demons); 1909-11 (Yeggs); 1912 (Lions); 1913 (Champs); 1914 (Fencevilles)

Unfortunately, I don't have example photos of any of those to compare uniform styles, but hopefully that will at least help to get you started. Good luck!

[t206hound]

That's the same info I've found. I did find the following postcards with Battle Creek players; no match on uniforms, however:
1909:


1913:

[thecatspajamas]

Apparently the Battle Creek Black Sox were actually the Grand Rapids Black Sox who only went by the Battle Creek name for a week in 1916, so you can probably cross that off the list of likely candidates (doubtful they would have had new jerseys made up and then only use the name for a week).

http://www.baseball-reference.com/bu...ral_League_(US)

[HexsHeroes]

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Adrian only sported minor league teams in 1895, and 1909-1914. That helped alot.

The 1911 Spalding team image shows a towering ballplayer by the last name of Siebert, (4) in the back row. The center ballplayer in your photo certainly "towers" over the other two. And I'd guess that the left-most ballplayer may be Henderson, who's pictured in the front row (9) of the Spalding image. Not sure of the right-most ballplayer. Winger perhaps, based on the slant of the face, from cheek to his chin.

Still working on identifying the Battle Creek team(s). Uniform does not match those in 1907, 1910-1914 Spalding team images. I'm terrible at dating uniforms, but the pinstripe plaid uniform worn in one (or more?) of your photos reminds me of the uniforms worn by the 1916-17 Brooklyn Robins. Can't imagine a team with nickname "Black Sox" would have such uniforms (plus ballplayer is wearing white socks!). But either/both 1919-1920 teams named the "Custers" might have. I believe most of the other Battle Creek ballplayer photos show them in uniforms without pattern, and wearing solid black socks and black caps. The 1913 Pennant Winner team photo shows most of the players wearing striped socks, with just a couple exceptions. I'd be willing to guess that the other photos you have show members of the 1916 Battle Creek Black Sox team. That might also explain how that particular style of black cap carried over onto the head of the pitcher in the other photo, wearing the pinstipe plaid uniform (if, indeed, 1919-1920 Custers). Lot of guessing. Just have to find the team photos to prove, or disprove. It's been a fun night of searching though. Thanks for sharing.


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[t206hound]

That 1911 Spalding photo is very interesting. I looked at the 1910 and 1911 rosters for the Adrian Yeggs, but found no Siebert. I found Harry Siebert and ? Siebert who played for Aurora (Wisconsin Illinois League) in 1910 and 1911. Then I realized that in the Spalding photo, there's one guy in a different uniform (Siebert) which just has an "A" (for Aurora)? But then again, that Siebert looks nothing like the one pictured in this PDF.

[t206hound]

If the photos are of the Adrian minor league team, then it would be maybe 1910-11, but not 1914 based on uniforms. Still guessing... I did send emails to the Battle Creek Historical Society and Adrian Library for help.

1910 Adrian Team (uniform match)


1911 Adrian Team (uniform match) and Battle Creek Team (different uniforms)


1914 Adrian Team (different uniforms)

[bcbgcbrcb]

Honus Wagner played on an Adrian (MI) team in 1895, now that would be real wishful thinking...........

[t206hound]

two weeks late finding this ebay listing of the 1919 Battle Creek Custers... appears to be a uniform match:

[t206hound]

Ok... if this is the 1919 Battle Creek team... then is this Jim Wright (6'2" right handed pitcher for St. Louis Browns in 1927-28):