Help with 1955 Salem Rebels Photo - Orlando Cepeda pictured?

[h2oya311]

Need some help with the photo below. I have owned this for a few years now and was under the impression that Orlando Cepeda is pictured with his teammates from the 1955 Salem Rebels.

However, now I am not so sure. This item was on Phil Garry's old "rookie" checklist but I don't see Cepeda. The guy in the top row is far too dark skinned and the kid up front has an unusual mole and looks a bit scrawny (even though he would have been about 16 years old).

As much as I'd hate to have my suspicion confirmed, I'd like to know for a fact before trying to sell this to someone else under a faulty and false assumption. I'd also like to remove this from the "rookie" checklist if, indeed, it isn't Cepeda.

[ooo-ribay]

The kid in the front row does seem to resemble Orlando...

[JollyElm]

Honestly, I don't see The Baby Bull in that photo, but can you post either a larger full image or just enlarged headshots of the three candidates? Things will move quickly if you could.

[ooo-ribay]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

Honestly, I don't see The Baby Bull in that photo, but can you post either a larger full image or just enlarged headshots of the three candidates? Things will move quickly if you could.

No way either guy in the back row is Orlando.

[JollyElm]

Originally Posted by ooo-ribay

No way either guy in the back row is Orlando.

Agreed, but it's important to be thorough.

[bobw]

I think the bottom player is Manuel Valdez

[h2oya311]

Thanks for the feedback so far. Here's a much larger scan. Now you can see the mole I referenced
On the player in front.

[JollyElm]

Sorry, there is no way in heck anyone in that pic is Cepeda.

[h2oya311]

Originally Posted by bobw

I think the bottom player is Manuel Valdez

Do you have any other pictures of Manuel Valdez to compare to (or is this just a hunch based on his last name)?

I tend to agree with other posters that it’s not Cepeda. I hate that I was willing to accept it as him when I purchased this photo years ago without inspecting it more closely.

[bobw]

He played with the Decatur Commodores in 1953 and the Rebels in 1955

[bnorth]

The 59 Topps card was the closest I could find to the same angle on his face. With the age difference it could easily be the same person. The "mole" seen on the old BW photo could be anything, there several stray dark spots on the photo.

[ooo-ribay]

The nose is somilar but the eyes of the Salem guy have a bit of an Asian look...

[h2oya311]

Originally Posted by bobw

He played with the Decatur Commodores in 1953 and the Rebels in 1955

Awesome! We have a winner! Thanks for ending the debate! Manuel Valdez is who is pictured in the Salem picture, not Orlando Cepeda. While there is a resemblance (per Ben's post), it is pretty obvious that this is Valdez.

I will update my "rookie" checklist accordingly and will make sure that this mis-identification does not persist (at least on my clock).

Thanks!