Chicago Union Giants Negro Postcard

[bcbgcbrcb]

That's a good possibility, Paul. I considered that until I found the reverse image on the internet on another postcard where that individual is much more clearly pictured. Then, it was obvious that it was not Foster. The other thing that did not make sense was that the postcard had to be produced after March, 1907 based on the divided back and Foster's only season with the CUG was 1902. I have never seen a Negro League postcard printed several years later picturing an earlier team although it has happened with MLB teams from the 1890's and printed in the early 1900's.

[Runscott]

Not to be insulting, but no one in that photo closely resembles Rube Foster. There are zillions of Foster photos available for comparisons.

Will Horn played for the Leland Giants in 1905 and possibly 1906, but not in 1907. Could be that he was barnstorming with the Union Giants in 1907, wearing the last uniform he owned - from the 1905 or 1906 Lelands (reference books say he retired after either 1905 or 1906).

[Runscott]

Here is the 1908 Chicago Union Giants team that was announced in the March 15 Chicago Examiner:

Pitchers: Ball, Jussep and Horn (surprise!)
catchers: Robertson and Campbell
infielders: Johnson, Smith, Toney and Bings
outfielders: Green, Ramsey and Matthews

Here are some 1908 Chicago Union Giants line-ups (from actual box-scores):

April 6 paper:

Toney 3b
Ramsey lf
Green cf
Johnson ss
Robinson 1b
Williams rf
Wallace c
Lansty 2b
Haynes p

May 17 paper:

Toney 2b
Smith 3b
Green cf
Robinson 1b
Ramsey lf
Young rf
Primm c
Hutchison ss
Talbert p

May 18 paper:

same, except Young dropped below Hutchison and spelled 'Talbot' instead of 'Talbert'

Sept 12 paper says West and Primm will be the battery for upcoming game

[Runscott]

I have an article in the editors' hands that has quite a bit of Jack Johnson stuff in it, but I'll try to put together a bio.

Meanwhile, here's the 1917 Topeka Giants. The suited man in the back row has Johnson's features if you compare to the 1905 Union Giants pics of him.

I would love a clearer photo of the 1909 KC,KS Giants - it certainly has Johnson in it, but the man i.d.'d as him doesn't match up well with the 1905 pics.

Anyone have one?

[Dto7]

1909 KC Giants

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by Dto7

1909 KC Giants

Thanks, but I have all the fuzzy internet ones and also the ones published in books.

I need a hi-res scan that I can i.d. players from.

[Runscott]

Here's an interesting article written by Topeka Jack, himself, referring to his playing days with the Chicago Union Giants:

[Dto7]

Seamheads got their Johnson photo from the book Black Baseball in Kansas City.

[Runscott]

I'm finding that with early 20th century black baseball history, you have to go back to the source whenever possible, and not rely on modern reference material. All the efforts of modern historians are greatly appreciated, but there are LOTS of errors - omissions and partial-research is more understandable, but the newspapers are out there for history to be reconstructed correctly.

[Runscott]

This doesn't help i.d. the year of the card, but here are two games played by the Chicago Union Giants against Maquaketa, Iowa on July 22,23 of 1909.

Maquaketa could have been an annual midwest stop for them:

[packs]

Could be wrong but it looks like Bruce had one of these postcards too. He shows it in the very beginning of this video.

video

[Runscott]

Thanks for sharing this link.

That isn't THE Bruce who was going to sue himself, is it? (I didn't hear any 'we' references, so I'm assuming not.)

[packs]

I think it is THE Bruce who threatened to sue himself.