E254 "Field" Identification -- (Revisited)

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Posted By: Rhett Yeakley

I am not the most humble guy in the world, but I must eat crow on the subject of the E254 "Field" card discussed a few weeks ago here. As I was looking for the 1905 Toronto Team photo for Richard earlier, I came across a photo of the 1905 Montreal team that completely contradicts my earlier findings.

Here is the picture of the E254 "Field" card, as noted earlier there is nobody named "Field" or "Fields" that played for Montreal during the era, so the name is obviously an error.


Originally, I thought that the picture was that of George Starnagle (I still think they look amazingly similar). Most agreed, however, there were a few that doubted and while it annoyed me at the time, I'm glad they did beacause I was completely wrong.

Anyways here is the 1905 Montreal team with a pretty familiar picture listed as #2. The "Joyce" listed here is Michael J. Joyce who was an outfielder for Montreal from 1904 to 1910. He obviously changed his hairstyle in later years which added to much confusion.


I think the identification is fairly concrete at this point that the card depicts Michael J. Joyce, and due to the fact that there are 2 "versions" of this players card it makes sense as he was with Montreal for 2 of the 3 years E254 Colgans were being printed. Apparently one version was made in each year.

-Rhett

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Posted By: John S

Thanks Rhett...no need to eat crow or humble pie. If it wasn't for your research we would still be calling him Field. I will make the necessary change to the checklist.

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

And how do you know that Colgans had it wrong and that Guide photo is correct? Couldn't Colgans have gotten it right and the Guide be wrong??

I think that the E254 card depicts Joyce. But it would be a bit more reassuring to find one more photo of the guy and see which way he's identified. That wouldn't cinch it, but it would bet better than what we have there.

Sometimes I'll attend an event or be present for something that is covered by the local radio, newspaper, or television folks. Invariably, they get something wrong... they foul up the story. I'll watch the news, they cover 5 things, I was at 2, and the two stories I know about they get wrong. That doesn't surprise me all that much. What surprises me is why I think they got the other stories that I don't know about correct!!! And that remind me of this Field vs Joyce thing.

Rhett, John, you guys keep up you're great work!!! You're having a significant influence on the hobby!!

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Posted By: Rhett Yeakley

Here is the 1909 photo, it also includes Joyce (#11), and he does look "similar" to the guy on E254 but he obviously changed his hair, and is looking to the side in this one.

-Rhett

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Posted By: J Levine

Of course, the team composite picture you get the Joyce reference from could be mislabeled. Ugh.

Joshua

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Posted By: Rhett Yeakley

I doubt it, as Joyce was a permanant fixture on the Montreal team from 1904-10, so he would definately be on the 1905 team picture. As stated before, there was nobody named anything close to "Field" that ever played for Montreal. I aso see a few similarities between the 1905 "Joyce" and the 1909 "Joyce" pictured above to say they are likely the same guy. The Spalding people made mistakes on occasion but I wouldn't doubt the player Joyce in 1905 is probably who they pictured.

As everyone on the 1905 team is pictured with the same jersey, they were probably pictures taken in that year (1905) as the next year they would have to add new people to the composite that weren't there on "picture day" in 1905. The thing that threw all of us was not anticipating them using such an old picture (also the wrong name thing!!).
-Rhett

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Excellent detective work. I wasn't convinced that it was Starnagle, but I also was optimistic that it could have been him. I think this pretty much seals the deal and mystery solved. Congrats!

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

I'm convinced. Well done! And thanks for the post.

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Posted By: PC

What's also interesting is that some of the photos from those 1909 team pictures were clearly used to create a number of T206 cards:

Baltimore: Poland, Adkins and Dessau
Jersey City: Merritt, Milligan and (probably) Moeller