Cap Anson Team Photo With Black Child

[Tomi]

Heard and read stories about how racist Cap Anson was while refusing to play against black ball players so running into this photo has me scratching my head a little. He is pictured in the center and to his right sitting on the floor is a black child. I know there were mascots sometimes pictured with the team but this child is dressed very nicely and not in any kind of team attire although holding a bat and cap. I would think Anson wouldn't even allow the child in the picture but he's there. Can anyone shed any light at the situation given his history toward black people.

[OhioLawyerF5]

The reality of history is often far more nuanced than we are led to believe in the present. Most of the time, people are far less evil, or far less good, than we think. They are just people.

[BioCRN]

The Cubs had a black mascot during this time period. His name was Clarence Duval. His life didn't go well.

[BioCRN]

Found a piece talking specifically about Duval and Anson...written by David Fleitz (SABR member, author)

https://www.baseball-almanac.com/corner/c042001d.shtml

"His autobiography, written in 1900, made no mention of Moses Walker, but related in gleeful detail how the team treated its "mascot", a black man named Clarence Duval whom Anson described as a "coon" and "a no-account n-----." Historian Bill James says that "they treated Duval exactly as one would treat a dog." Anson made no secret about his feelings about sharing a field with blacks, repeating the statement "Gentlemen don't play baseball with n-----s" to anyone who would listen. People listened to Cap Anson, the towering figure of baseball in the 1880s."

[Fred]

I still collect Anson, even though he was a racist. He's a part of baseball history. I'd bet that he was the product of a racist household. Should we cancel him??? So sick of cancel culture and woke.

That is a cool cabinet! Half the team are Chicago players. I wonder what the occasion was for the picture. Looks like a few HOFers.

Anybody want to try and put together a list of the players. Ward is two to the right of Anson. Looks like Pfeffer to the immediate left of Anson. Is that Baldwin behind Anson? Is that Williamson next to the mascot?

[judsonhamlin]

It looks like George Wright on the ground with the cricket bat.

[Knightlax5]

Originally Posted by Fred

I still collect Anson, even though he was a racist. He's a part of baseball history. I'd bet that he was the product of a racist household. Should we cancel him??? So sick of cancel culture and woke.

That is a cool cabinet! Half the team are Chicago players. I wonder what the occasion was for the picture. Looks like a few HOFers.

Anybody want to try and put together a list of the players. Ward is two to the right of Anson. Looks like Pfeffer to the immediate left of Anson. Is that Baldwin behind Anson? Is that Williamson next to the mascot?

I'm not sure about "cancelling" a guy who has been dead 103 years. However I think its fair to question if he didn't take his stance on not playing against black players if we would have gotten to Josh Gibson or Oscar Charleston in the MLB. Great cabinet card

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by BioCRN

Found a piece talking specifically about Duval and Anson...written by David Fleitz (SABR member, author)

https://www.baseball-almanac.com/corner/c042001d.shtml

"His autobiography, written in 1900, made no mention of Moses Walker, but related in gleeful detail how the team treated its "mascot", a black man named Clarence Duval whom Anson described as a "coon" and "a no-account n-----." Historian Bill James says that "they treated Duval exactly as one would treat a dog." Anson made no secret about his feelings about sharing a field with blacks, repeating the statement "Gentlemen don't play baseball with n-----s" to anyone who would listen. People listened to Cap Anson, the towering figure of baseball in the 1880s."

Sad story, but I did get an unexpected chuckle from the (unintentional?) pun at the end:

Anson's White Stockings became known as the Colts and then the Cubs, the name they bear today.

[bgar3]

Wright taught cricket on trip.

[BobbyStrawberry]

Originally Posted by Tomi

I would think Anson wouldn't even allow the child in the picture but he's there. Can anyone shed any light at the situation given his history toward black people.

White racists are fine with having black and brown people around, as long as they are regarded as fundamentally inferior. It's those pesky things like equality that get them upset.

[molenick]

If anyone is interested in reading about the tour, the full text of Athletic Sports in America, England and Australia is available on https://books.google.com/ and selected sections of Spalding's World Tour are available as well.