A McCreachery Card Theory

[Matthew H]

I'm not saying I think "The McCreachery Code" is impossible, it's just IMO reaching a bit. It's incredible that in the 1880s they were able to create such a comprehensive set that covered major and minor baseball from coast to coast in such a short period of time. They misspelled some names, used the wrong photo sometimes, poked fun at a few players, and you're suggesting they inserted a riddle card. I personally need more evidence than what's presented. Everything else above is fact.

[Matthew H]

Nm

[cyseymour]

Originally Posted by Matthew H

I'm not saying I think "The McCreachery Code" is impossible, it's just IMO reaching a bit. It's incredible that in the 1880s they were able to create such a comprehensive set that covered major and minor baseball from coast to coast in such a short period of time. They misspelled some names, used the wrong photo sometimes, poked fun at a few players, and you're suggesting they inserted a riddle card. I personally need more evidence than what's presented. Everything else above is fact.

Here's the links:

http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Chery
http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/1/Mccrea

What more evidence do you need? A handwritten statement from the producers of the card that it was an inside joke? An X'd out photo found in Deacon White's tomb, held by a mummified version of Deacon, with his face glaring angrily at the card?

It's etymology. The definitions of the words are sitting right there for you. It tells you what it means. The work is already done, my friend.

[barrysloate]

I'm enjoying this thread immensely as it is one of the more scholarly ones we've had on this board. Wish I had a theory about the card, but unfortunately I don't. However, it would surprise if the people in charge of getting these cards manufactured and out to market were literate enough to provide hidden riddles and biblical references, or be acquainted with Old English and Latin phrases. I'm guessing there is a simpler answer than that. These were blue collar guys who probably didn't have Ivy League diplomas.

[Joe_G.]

Fascinating thread, I thank all contributors (you included cyseymour). I was not trying to disprove McCreachery as a riddle in my last post, but instead the other half of your theory. I'll explain tonight when time permits, I need to report to work. Keep it coming!

[novakjr]

been away from this one a while too...Cy, you're getting kinda crazy with the riddles... Anyways, I only posed the "creachery" possibility, because it is actually a word, no riddle there. The main reason I went with the Old-English translation of "hryre" for it, was for dramatic effect...

The creachery theory was just that, a theory, nothing more, nothing less. It has nothing to do with decline in his play, but pointed more towards the fact that 3 teams either went under, or lost ML status, during his tenures with them.. Possibly just a simple joke about him being bad luck.

However, as the SABR article pointed out, he was a very controversial player, and it's possible that some viewed his actions/views(especially regarding player rights and the reserve clause) as destructive to the teams he played for(or the game in general).

Aside from the probability that it's just some error with no explanation. It's nice to at least study the name, to see if at least some sort of tie can be made between the name and the players circumstances.

While the "mccrea" theory seems somewhat farther fetched than the "creachery" one. I wouldn't 100% write it off, although it's clearly taking up the rear, as far as possibilities go.. Riddles seem far less likely than joke, or simple error. Also, with only one known, who's to say that wasn't the only one in the first place? Without knowing who that card was intended for(I'm guessing it wasn't a public release), it will be hard to pin down the exact circumstances behind the name..


Oh my. With a little thought, creacherous behavior could be viewed as anarchy, and with Mc meaning son of...Maybe Deacon was a biker and the original "son of anarchy"..

[cyseymour]

Originally Posted by Joe_G.

Fascinating thread, I thank all contributors (you included cyseymour). I was not trying to disprove McCreachery as a riddle in my last post, but instead the other half of your theory. I'll explain tonight when time permits, I need to report to work. Keep it coming!

Joe,

I think you are most likely correct about the other half of the theory - i.e., that the card was not produced after the 1888 season. Considering that Indy did not have a manager in spring 1888, the card was indeed most likely produced in the spring, hence the joke that White was the manager.

As you say yourself, it does not disprove the McCreachery as a riddle theory.

Cheers

[cyseymour]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

I'm enjoying this thread immensely as it is one of the more scholarly ones we've had on this board. Wish I had a theory about the card, but unfortunately I don't. However, it would surprise if the people in charge of getting these cards manufactured and out to market were literate enough to provide hidden riddles and biblical references, or be acquainted with Old English and Latin phrases. I'm guessing there is a simpler answer than that. These were blue collar guys who probably didn't have Ivy League diplomas.

Barry,

Considered yourself potentially surprised, then. People back then were pretty smart. There were no stupid movies to watch, no ESPN - you learned french and latin in school and the teachers were strict! As a society, we have definitely gotten stupider and our attention span has decreased dramatically.

When I do things like study french or 19th century lit, heck, I am just trying to catch up to those people... but they were still way ahead of me! And without the internet as a source, as well as other minds, we would never have gotten it.

As I wrote earlier, the playing of word games and riddles, while left to a few nerds like myself in 2012, was a popular pastime in the 19th Century. Pick up a 19th Century novel, and you'll see the language was a lot more complex. They make us look like a bunch of dolts, quite frankly.

[cyseymour]

David,

Here's another time when the term "Machree" was used in a subliminal manner. Pariah1107 dug this up.

http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/fo...er_Machree.htm

Who was Mother Machree? Machree=Son of God, so Mother Machree was Mother Mary!

So it's very viable, based on how people thought in 1887, and their superior intellectual abilities (if not in regards to technology, then at least vis-a-vis literature), that McCrea was also being used subliminally in the faux-name McCreachery. Not only does it line up directly with the defining personal character trait of Deacon Jones, it is also the only viable explanation for the name on the card.

Add in that remaining letters "Chery" means "dear, sweet" and it is blatantly obvious to me that the name is a reference to "Sweet Jesus", "Sweet Son of God", however you want to put it. How it's continued to evade the realization of the other members of this board is the only remaining mystery in my mind.

But that might be a reflection of some points I made to Barry about our declining intelligence levels! It is also a reflection, I think, that it is hard for people to grasp, in our lowest common denominator thought processes of 2012, why anyone would choose to create an esoteric riddle or wordplay in 1888.

[barrysloate]

Agreed that people took education more seriously back then. Today, you're mocked for being an intellectual. So no argument there. I'm just not certain your theory is beyond dispute. It's an interesting one for sure, but I can't assume that's exactly what they were thinking. But who knows. As I said, this is a great thread.

[cyseymour]

Barry,

Let me also note that, like today, tobacco was a big business back then. The founder, Eben Goodwin, amassed a fortune. He died in 1871 and left the business to his nephew, obviously much younger. It is not unlikely that the nephew, and those who worked as managers beneath him and enjoyed large salaries, were from the aristocratic, well-educated class.

[Matthew H]

Originally Posted by cyseymour

Barry,

Let me also note that, like today, tobacco was a big business back then. The founder, Eben Goodwin, amassed a fortune. He died in 1871 and left the business to his nephew, obviously much younger. It is not unlikely that the nephew, and those who worked as managers beneath him and enjoyed large salaries, were from the aristocratic, well-educated class.

Wow, I finally get it. It was Eben Goodwin's nephew and his aristocratic upper management cronies responsible for this riddle meant as a slight toward Deacon Whites non existent downfall, as well as poetic praise toward him being the beloved son of God, oh, and also a slur toward his non-Irish decent.

Also, no need for your cryptic insults toward the intelligence of board members who don't agree with you. We already know you're the riddle master.

Lastly, all of what you posted is possible. Some of it seems probable. The big turn off for me is the definitive statements being made about what some unknown person was thinking 120 years ago.

[Abravefan11]

For what it's worth, while at the library I went through a number of dictionaries from the time period and none included the word creachery. Several did include the word creachy.

creachy,
1. See creechy
2. Broken down, dilapidated, infirm; sickly, ailing

creechy,
1. Of things: in bad repair. Of persons: poorly, weak, sickly, ailing, feeble.

[barrysloate]

Was it possible that Deacon White was grouchy, or crotchety?

[cyseymour]

Originally Posted by Abravefan11

For what it's worth, while at the library I went through a number of dictionaries from the time period and none included the word creachery. Several did include the word creachy.

creachy,
1. See creechy
2. Broken down, dilapidated, infirm; sickly, ailing

creechy,
1. Of things: in bad repair. Of persons: poorly, weak, sickly, ailing, feeble.

Thank you, Tim! Great research! So we can see that from the double-entendre that he was a Dear Son of God, but also appeared broken down and sickly, hence the reference to him being the Mgr. Indianapolis.

[insidethewrapper]

Joe: Has only 1 card been discovered of this "White-McCreachery" card ? Was it ever put into cigarette packs ? If not,should it be part of the OJ set ?

It was either 1) a mistake or error card and pulled from production or 2) it was a joke or Novelty Card and maybe given to White himself and never really a card for the public to collect, therefore not part of the set.

Researching some newspapers I have at home, Indy did have a manager (Spence) during March of 1888. So he was the manager when the photos were taken and distributed. One question answered.


Last question today : Who owns this card ? Has it ever been up for auction ?