Wha' Dat?

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by z28jd

I had the ingenious idea to look up players with the last name Bliss, to see if any played for a minor league team named the "Rajahs" and while I found no matches, I did find this. Use this info for good only, no evil please.

Dick Bliss played for an 1894 California Players Lg team named the San Francisco Hot Peanuts. The team had an outfielder named John Fogarty, no mention if he played center field.

I swear if someone ever makes replica jerseys from the minor leagues, I am buying a SF Hot Peanuts jersey, along with a Utica Pentups one and half of the 1902 Missouri Valley League teams: Iola Gasbags, Jefferson City Convicts and Nevada Lunatics

The Iola Gasbags of 1902 became the Iola Gaslighters of 1903. There must have been an explosive accident as a result of this change for in 1904 they once again became the Iola Gasbags.

[Bocabirdman]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

The Iola Gasbags of 1902 became the Iola Gaslighters of 1903. There must have been an explosive accident as a result of this change for in 1904 they once again became the Iola Gasbags.

The Iola Gaspassers was suggested by their sponsoring beanery but rejected

[RCMcKenzie]

There is a first name "Roy" Bliss from the 1913, 1914 and 1917 zeenuts listed as a Salt Lake player. Frank Chance is also in the 1917 Zeenut series.

I like to collect mainstream issues, but also like to buy cards that have a "Patterson film", Jesse Ventura-like aspect to them. These types of cards always make for good discussion.

[packs]

There is (has been?) a Rajah tobacco company that makes cigarettes. I don't know much about their history or how long they've been in business. I do know that there were several British tobacco companies (like Pirate) who did produce baseball cards. If Rajah tobacco has been around for the last hundred years its possible they distributed cards. Being India based would explain their rarity like the Pirate cards.

[bcornell]

Originally Posted by RCMcKenzie

There is a first name "Roy" Bliss from the 1913, 1914 and 1917 zeenuts listed as a Salt Lake player. Frank Chance is also in the 1917 Zeenut series.

Hmm... it didn't occur to me that this might be a minor league issue. I guess this card could be showing a different Bliss and a "Rajahs" team (?) not related to Hornsby. I still opt for Occam's Razor (i.e., if there are multiple plausible answers, go with the simplest), but I may be wrong.

All of the "gas" jokes were juvenile and appreciated. And nice final price, as well.

Bill

[RCMcKenzie]

blissb.jpg

Here is the back. I am a fan of science. If this card was made by Topps in 1962 and 'professionally distressed', or if it came from a box of cigars distributed in India in 1917. I'd just like to know.

In my auction description I said that the card was unknown. People know/knew about this card. My guess is Bob Lemke has scans of this exact card, not one similar to it. The high bidder is a hobby expert, so after I send him the card, I expect we may learn more about what it is or where it originated.

[Vintagecatcher]

This topic came up years ago. Rajahs refers to St Louis Cardinals with Roger Bresnahan. Jack Bliss was a catcher as well.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/pl...lissja01.shtml

Patrick

[brianp-beme]

Great observation Patrick...I just spent a little time searching the internet, and came up with a September 2, 1911 Pittsburg Gazette newspaper article on Roger Bresnahan that refers to him as 'Rajah' about a dozen times. I think that would link this Bliss card to the 1911-12 time frame. And the card looks authentic and from this time period--perhaps from a notebook, as has been conjectured.

Congrats to the winner--they definitely got something completely different.

Brian