sandlot team help. 1948

[billyb]

Out of our families collection, was found this 1948 original press photo of an unuasual play between, what I believe to be, two Sandlot teams.
The press stamp was very faded but through a magnifying glass I could barely make out the year of 1948.
The team at bat is called Wenham's and the team in the field is called the Bartunek's, or at least that's what the back of the photo says.
In searching the internet, I found that a Frederick Wenham owned a trucking Company, and sponsored many ages of baseball teams, and all appeared to be called the Wenham Truckers. And that he also sponsor a minor league team.
The other team is a little more of a mystery. I found that there used to be a team called the Cleveland Bartunek's Clothes (sponsor name). I found two histories of two players who played on the Truckers, and it stated the team was a Class A division team, that's all I know exect they were out of the Cleveland area. Found nothing further on the Bartuneks
Looking at the photograph, under the name Bartuneks, it does not appear to be clothes???
I can find no league or standings involving either team. The stadium in the photograph appears to be a nice stadium and they may have been Class A teams.
Does anyone have any knowledge of these two teams or where else I may check.
I will post the wire photo, but I appologize for the crappy scan, as I was in a rush, I scanned the photo on Automatic and it came out sideways, and again rushing, I rotated it and saved but lost a little of the words on the back. I do not have the photo in front of me now to rescan.Attachment 94992

Attachment 94993
The runner was named Ruppe, the first baseman who made the play was named Ben Visal, and the top just stated unusual play.

[deebro041]

Found this from the National Amateur Baseball Federation website. In 1948, in the Major division(any age) New York City Equitable Life beat Cleveland Bartunek Clothes 4-2 in the World Series Tournament Championship.
Here's the link look under Major division:http://www.nabf.com/aboutus/history.htm

[billyb]

Dan,
Thanks for the help, I did see that site, but NABF is a tournament where one team from each league competes for a National Tournament. I am trying to find the league that they were in and the other teams within that league.
Looking at their uniforms up close, I did not think that the wording under bartunek's was clothes, but after another good look, it is possible.
Thought it was a good heads up play by that first baseman, thought I would share the play also.

Hello Bill,

Seems as though Bartunek Clothes, as well as Wenham Truckers, were part of the CBF (the Cleveland Baseball Federation) which in 1947 had over 800 teams! Wow! Founded in 1920, William T. Duggan served as president of the league from 1923 until 1960. This website gives a decent over-view of sandlot baseball history in Cleveland:

http://ech.case.edu/cgi/article.pl?id=SB1

Bartunek's Clothes must have been pretty good, as they "advanced" to play in the 1945, 1947 & 1948 National Amateur Baseball Federation tournament. Runner-up in 1947 & champs in 1948. In '45 George Uhle Jr., son of Indians pitcher George Uhle, pitched for Bartunek Clothes, he had a brief minor league career. Found a lot of info on Bartunek Clothes soccer also, good luck.

[GKreindler]

Hey Bill,

For what it's worth, I'm pretty darn sure that the ballpark is Cleveland Municipal. League Park had been abandoned by late '46, and either way, they had different looking grandstands.

Graig

[billyb]

Thanks guys, That's what I was looking for. Over 800 teams, that is a lot.
I did find an article about a player who pitched for the Truckers, stated he pitched many games agains the Taramonte Black labels, must have been another team.
I was seeking as much information as I could get on this photo. It belongs to my cousin and probably will be going up for sale in the near future. I will let everyone know on the BST, in about a month or so. Its part of an inheritance collection.
Its a great photo, with a great play.

[billyb]

[QUOTE=pariah1107;1114487]Hello Bill,

Seems as though Bartunek Clothes, as well as Wenham Truckers, were part of the CBF (the Cleveland Baseball Federation) which in 1947 had over 800 teams! Wow! Founded in 1920, William T. Duggan served as president of the league from 1923 until 1960. This website gives a decent over-view of sandlot baseball history in Cleveland:

http://ech.case.edu/cgi/article.pl?id=SB1

Bartunek's Clothes must have been pretty good, as they "advanced" to play in the 1945, 1947 & 1948 National Amateur Baseball Federation tournament. Runner-up in 1947 & champs in 1948. In '45 George Uhle Jr., son of Indians pitcher George Uhle, pitched for Bartunek Clothes, he had a brief minor league career. Found a lot of info on Bartunek Clothes soccer also, good luck.[/QUOTE

TY,
That was a good read, thank you.