Previously Unknown 1914 Federal League Photo

[prewarsports]

Hi Guys. I have had this photo from a former players estate for about a year and always assumed it was a Western League photo. I was doing some research today and double checked the date and discovered this player was not in the Western League in 1914 (the date on the back) but was in the Federal League. I looked up the game date and saw it matched and then noticed the little scoreboard on the outfield wall and sure enough, it matched up perfectly. So....

This is a photo of the opening weekend of the "new" Federal League. It is an action photo of a game between the Kansas City Packers and the Chicago Chi-Feds on April 19, 1914. I dont know of any other photos of Gordon & Koppel Field in Kansas City, but when you think of the Federal League you think of Wrigley and these beautiful stadiums, but this was NOT one of those.

Anyways, I thought you guys might like to look at this rare image from the genesis of the Federal League.

Rhys Yeakley

[barrysloate]

What a great photo. That stadium looks awfully small, doesn't look like too many fans could get in to see a game.

[drc]

Nice pic, with the trees in the background. Resembles a college stadium.

[GKreindler]

KILLER photo Rhys!! Thanks so much for posting it...

[brickyardkennedy]

Love this shot. Even if the trees do outnumber the fans. Thanks!

[Oldtix]

Spectacular discovery! Thank you for sharing it!

[prewarsports]

These photos dont really help a whole lot, but at least you can see the scorecboard. Picture was snapped during the visiting-half of the fourth inning it appears with Chicago threatening to score. Looks like another Fed Lg. game had just gotten under way elsewhere as well.

I enlarged some scans of the uniforms as best as my scanner could do, but the distance between the field and the photos origin point is just too large to get exact details. It does appear the KC uniforms have a K on one breast and a C on the other but it could just be the shadows.

Hope this helps, it is the best I could do.

Rhys

[bmarlowe1]

Very cool - great find! Thanks.

The socks are right, the Chicago caps are right. It looks like the KC unis are just white versions of the already known gray road unis as expected.

[barrysloate]

Among the many things I love about that photo is that you can practically pinpoint the time of day it was taken. If you know what time the game started, say 1:00 PM, you could estimate that photograph was taken around 1:45 on April 19 and you would be accurate within a couple of minutes!

[rhettyeakley]

Looks like the pitcher for Kansas City in that game on April 19, 1914 was Ben Harris (a right hander like in the picture). KC would win the game 7-6.

Also, Indianapolis did indeed play St. Lous that same day in St. Louis w/ St. Louis winning the game 9-2. It probably isn't a stretch that they were getting live updates from St. Louis (ie both of the Missouri teams' scores were being recorded on the board)