Incredible Old Baseballs Need Some Insight

[hanes1111]

These showed up at an auction in a box lot. Anyone have any idea what they are from. The script on them is amazing . One of the balls has a makers mark but its very slight and I cant make out anything with a loupe. Any help with the hsitory of them, value, etc..... would be greatly appreciated. Ive been looking them up for about 2 hrs now and have nothing concrete.

[daves_resale_shop]

I think they are trophy balls out of massachusetts. Worcester academy vs cushing academy (two of the
Oldest private schools in the state) and worcester academy vs springfield college (ma)

Any other clues in the box lot?

[hanes1111]

Originally Posted by daves_resale_shop

I think they are trophy balls out of massachusetts. Worcester academy vs cushing academy (two of the
Oldest private schools in the state) and worcester academy vs springfield college (ma)

Any other clues in the box lot?

None at all , they were in a lot with stuff from a naval aviator that was from that area. I think your spot on with the schools......

[bobw]

First ball
June 6, 1914




Second ball
May 23, 1914

[ooo-ribay]

Originally Posted by bobw

First ball
June 6, 1914




Second ball
May 23, 1914

Bob - how do you (and others) find these old newspaper box scores?

[MrMister]

Can't answer for Bob, but I use this page alot:

https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/

(Use the advanced search tab for specific date)
The word match search works very well I think.

[hanes1111]

wow, you guys are the best! Thats incredible. Bob your nothing short of being "The Man". Im assuming that these have some value for display or just simple history . Wish I could find the rosters.......Im going to do some more digging tonight. Thanks for all your help guys !

[bobw]

Here is an image of the 1914 team but I didn't post it earlier because of the poor quality....

[aelefson]

Hi-

Great trophy baseballs! Connie Mack's son went to Worcester Academy during that time and I also think there was a player that made the major leagues but I forget who it is. I had a scrapbook related to that school at one point but I sold it several years ago.

Alan

[hanes1111]

So the newspaper article with the team describes a guy as Kid Nichols who is a HOF'er who played for Boston which is relative to Worcester Academy......however I'm not sure if the dates line up. They talk about Nichols as a pitcher in the team photograph newspaper article at the end but is this the same guy? They would both be pitchers from the Boston area with the same name which seems like too much of a coincidence. Other pros that I have found from the team are Bruno Phillip Haas who has a MLB record for most walks, and Lew Malone. If it is the real Kid Nichols that would be super cool. Anyone have any idea of the values? I'm normally pretty good with finding some middle ground ballpark values but these are a little peculiar and Im not sure where a fair price would be.

Thanks again guys

Ryan

[bobw]

I would doubt they are the same pitcher, the HOFer would have been 44 years old in 1914.

[hanes1111]

Originally Posted by bobw

I would doubt they are the same pitcher, the HOFer would have been 44 years old in 1914.

yeah your right..... think i just go super excited. Kid Nichols just seemed too odd to be both from the boston area within a time frame and both pitchers just found it to be weird.