A McCreachery Card Theory

[deadballfreaK]

Just read through 11 pages. Good stuff. I am nearly 100% Irish myself and we are not just "reputed" to be drinkers. We can put it away! And I am going to tip a glass to both Mr. White and the mysterious McWhatever.

[Tanman7baseball]

Well... Just put it this way, I wish I read the last page before I read the entire thread... At least I freshened up on my Gaelic English, French, and Greek...

Some of the references and facts used to prove the McGreachery name being a riddle was comparable to Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas trying to explain how gun control will lead to same sex marriage and sex with animals... Very comical to say the least. Although, some points to the riddle were plausible..

All in all, I enjoyed the critical thinking (mostly done by Cy). It is something that is seldom done in my generation of people. I rather read a thread like this than watch a mindless sitcom on TV. But now it looks like my Irish heritage is telling me to pour a glass of Dewar's scotch whiskey to take away the headache I've developed reading it. Thanks for Bumping this

[cyseymour]

I hate to bring up an old can of worms, but I was thinking about this thread this morning, and it dawned on me to research the name "McGrea". It turns out that "McGrea" is in fact the same name as "McCrea". They are just variable spellings. In fact, according to this website, are stem from the same name.

http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/McGraw

Therefore, the name "McGreachery" could very well still mean "Dear Son of God". In fact, the counter-theory for this card was that the confusion of the card was that it was really intended to write McGeachy, after Jack McGeachy of the Indianapolis team.

But the thing is that Jack McGeachy's name also means "Son of God"

McGea - son of God
Chy - child

Gaelic was a very rough language with many different spellings. That's why you are seeing variations of this word "Crea" in the form of "Gee", "Kee" (as in D. Mc.Kee), Crea, Grea, Graw, etc.

In light of this discovery, it is very unlikely that the name "McGreachery" was a misspelling. My view is that it was probably done intentionally. Also, when you take into context the player involved, the card, and the name on it, was almost certainly a joke. Deacon White was a very well-known player - the greatest third baseman of the 19th century. Goodwin and Co. took seven other photos of Deacon White - they must have had a very good idea of whom he was. Remember, Deacon White had been in the league for over fifteen years by that time. He was also known for his wacky religious beliefs in an era, like today, of growing atheism. Also, keep in mind that most people were given a classical education in latin and french back then, and the word for God (crea/grea/graw/cray, however you want to pronounce it) is a vary basic word.

Knowing all that, I just find it very hard to believe that the McGreachery name was written as some sort of accident. One of the reasons why we had the confusion between C and G for the card is that they look alike. They must look alike because those two letters were used almost interchangably in ancient times. So in retrospect, I don't believe that the fact that the name is McGreachery instead of McCreachery really makes it a flawed theory after all.

[oldjudge]

Good theory Jamie; I like that. BTW, here is the only other card with this Deacon White image, the proof used to create the N172. As far as I know, both the N172 and the proof are unique.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Good theory Jamie; I like that. BTW, here is the only other card with this Deacon White image, the proof used to create the N172. As far as I know, both the N172 and the proof are unique.

Old Judge,

Thank you very much for sharing that image. I am sure that other members also truly appreciate it.

Seeing as though he was inducted into the HOF this summer, Deacon White's baseball career has been viewed again, in a positive light. I, for one, think his inclusion is warranted.

Best Regards,

Eric

[Joe_G.]

Thanks for the bump Jamie, I do find it interesting although I would still classify it as a theory. But much of what we write about the set is just that.

Great cabinet Jay. I do find it somewhat interesting that out of the 9 proofs that have surfaced (which account for all 9 N172 poses Deacon enjoys), the portrait is the only one in which his name is not written on the negative. "White 3d B., Detroit." appears on all other 8 negatives/photos.

[RCMcKenzie]

Great cabinet, Jay.

Jaime, without checking to see if I'm contradicting myself, my problem with your theory is that the makers of the riddle would have to have intentionally created one of the most obscure inside jokes of all time. It would have taken 120 years and sabr-esque research to unveil their joke on a single tobacco insert, that appears to have been discontinued after a single printing.

I remember making a Rodney Dangerfield reference from 'Easy Money', as he played a photographer in that movie.