Any Help Identifying This Item is Appreciated

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Posted By: T206Monsta

Item is 3.5" x 5 7/8" on thick paper stock.
Entitled “STERN CHASE”, the bottom reads “PUBLISHED BY JOHN B SAGE, BUFFALO, N.Y.” The back has very faint red or pink “graph paper” lines.
Thank you.

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Posted By: Kevin O

It appears to be the front cover (or was destined to be) of an 1880s scorecard. Maybe a large printing company did the polychromatic covers and then shipped them en masse to its customers. The graph lines could have helped the second printer align the actual interior. Maybe the particulars of the local scorecard (club and player names, advertisers, etc.) would then be printed in monochrome by a local printer. Do you think there might have been a back cover that was detached, or could this be a sample sent to prospective buyers (hence the printer's stamp)? Wild guess on its actual use, but it does look like a scorecard cover.

"Stern Chase" refers to what followed when any batted ball got past an outfielder. He would have a long way to go to get the ball, just as a sailing ship would have to circle around to retrieve any item that went off its own stern. I have to admit, however, that Stern Chase would be a pretty cool name--sort of like a TV weatherman or something found in the register of a local motel (ala Lance Mannion).

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Posted By: Julie

Both edges, to persue the "cover" theory, are uneven, as if cut by hand from something, although the borders are plenty wide.

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Posted By: fkw

What you have is the front cover of a John B. Sage Scorecard, mine have the lineup for the "Ironsides" on back.

Frank

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Posted By: Anonymous

Those are two good looking examples. You can actually see "IRONSIDES" from the front of your scorecards. Any idea od the aproximate date? Maybe 1880-90s?

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Posted By: Scott M

I know this thread is a bit old but I found a similar scorecard in the past month or so and thought I'd share the one I came across to help confirm the last posters guess regarding the dates.

The particular example I found (see scans) can be dated to 1883 by the lineup depicted on the back. Its a scorecard for the 1883 Providence Grays of the National League.

Front-


Back-

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Posted By: Pat

I'm still wondering why mine is blank on the back. There are faint grid-lines but no writing. Maybe it's a rare variation. LOL!

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Posted By: Scott M

It would seem by the examples posted by Frank, the one I have and yours that these were produced for use by multiple teams which would then have their lineups printed on the back as well as local advertising such as found on my example.

If yours only has the grids for a lineup it would seem that you have a copy that was produced by the manufactorer but didn't quite make it to the next step of being "branded" for a particular team.