Oldest Memorabilia

[GaryPassamonte]

Leon- I still have potential upgrades available.

[aquarius31]

Gary, this is a great thread topic and that Newark BBC ticket is awesome! I'm not sure about the age of the below tintype but looks to be 1860's. I also have 2 other CDVs from 1860's that I'll post later. Would love to see some more old stuff!

- 1841 Gift of Friendship by S. Babcock (picked up here a long time ago)
- 1857 Spirit of the Times - The Eagles and Gothams Playing Their Great Match At The Elysian Fields
- 1860's half-plate tintype

[Scott Garner]

I've shown this ticket on net54 before, but here is a very early White Stockings baseball season ticket from 1874.
Condition is pretty remarkable considering age...

[bmarlowe1]

Originally Posted by Scott Garner

I've shown this ticket on net54 before, but here is a very early Chicago White Stockings baseball season ticket from 1874.
Condition is pretty remarkable considering age...

Scott - nice item. I have no expertise in tickets, but are you saying that this is a Chicago White Stockings National Association ticket? Thanks.

[gnaz01]

Mine

[aquarius31]

Originally Posted by gnaz01

Mine

Very nice Greg! As you probably know, this is the earliest woodcut depiction of Cap Anson dating to July 5, 1873.

[gnaz01]

Originally Posted by aquarius31

Very nice Greg! As you probably know, this is the earliest woodcut depiction of Cap Anson dating to July 5, 1873.

Yes, the reason I bought it He looks like a young Matthew Modine

[Scott Garner]

Delete

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by bmarlowe1

Scott - nice item. I have no expertise in tickets, but are you saying that this is a Chicago White Stockings National Association ticket? Thanks.

Hi Mark,
To the best of my knowledge, I believe it is the White Stockings of the National Association.

From my research, The White Stockings began in 1871, but a fire burned down their original stadium in 1871. They re-entered the league in 1874 and I believe that this ticket originates from this season. On the back of the ticket it also makes reference to the Junior White Stockings and the the Resolutes, which may have played at their ball field as well.

I hope this helps.

[iwantitiwinit]

FToliver1987Topps.JPG

[bobfreedman]

1892 Cleveland Spiders Schedule with Cy Young

[seattlerainiers]

Not my oldest baseball item, but apropos for the thread:
1885 Chicago White Stocking silver trophy ball that belonged to Billy Sunday.

[bmarlowe1]

Originally Posted by Scott Garner

Hi Mark,
To the best of my knowledge, I believe it is the White Stockings of the National Association.

From my research, The White Stockings began in 1871, but a fire burned down their original stadium in 1871. They re-entered the league in 1874 and I believe that this ticket originates from this season. On the back of the ticket it also makes reference to the Junior White Stockings and the the Resolutes, which may have played at their ball field as well.

I hope this helps.

Well, not really. If this was as claimed, it would be, to say the least, a very significant item. But there is absolutely nothing on the ticket that references Chicago, Illinois, the 23rd Street Grounds (AKA State Street Grounds), or the National Association or even just "Association." The “series of games both junior and senior” could mean anything. There is nothing here to support the contention that “senior” means “National Association.”

Any number of town team could have called themselves the "White Stockings," and team names (often based on hosiery color) were a very fluid thing. Of the two Philadelphia entries in the 1873 NA, one was called the White Stockings (changed to Pearls in 1874).

All you seem to being saying here is that it is an 1874 baseball season ticket (it surely is), the Chicago White Stockings NA club played in 1874 (they surely did), therefore this is a Chicago NA ticket. There are some big logical steps missing.

The signature looks like "H. A. Jackson." Did you find that he had some connection to the Chi NA club?

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by bmarlowe1

Well, not really. If this was as claimed, it would be, to say the least, a very significant item. But there is absolutely nothing on the ticket that references Chicago, Illinois, the 23rd Street Grounds (AKA State Street Grounds), or the National Association or even just "Association." The “series of games both junior and senior” could mean anything. There is nothing here to support the contention that “senior” means “National Association.”

Any number of town team could have called themselves the "White Stockings," and team names (often based on hosiery color) were a very fluid thing. Of the two Philadelphia entries in the 1873 NA, one was called the White Stockings (changed to Pearls in 1874).

All you seem to being saying here is that it is an 1874 baseball season ticket (it surely is), the Chicago White Stockings NA club played in 1874 (they surely did), therefore this is a Chicago NA ticket. There are some big logical steps missing.

The signature looks like "H. A. Jackson." Did you find that he had some connection to the Chi NA club?

Hi Bruce,
FWIW, you may be correct, because the front of the ticket does not state Chicago White Stockings.

FYI, I never was able to nail down the signature on the back when I tried to do some research on it when I bought it from an eBay seller in Illinois (to the best of my recollection) several years ago. In 2010 I did see another one of these season tickets in a catalogue auction, but it was unsigned on the back
There is a book entitled Major League Baseball Expansions and Relocations: A History, 1876-2008 by Frank P. Jozsa, Jr that does make mention of the Resolutes in 1874, but I don't have iron clad proof that the ticket originates from the Chicago White Stockings.

Hell, the ticket is over 140 years old & I just like the damn thing!

Beautiful rarities by the other posters. Congrats to all of you that own these beauties!

[John V]

I believe this is my oldest. I just don't know how old.

[vintagesportscollector]

Not baseball, but this booklet from 1872 chronicles the first ever intercollegiate rowing regatta in 1871.

image.jpg

[jpop43]

Some of our oldest oldies...

1. c. 1840's- 1850's Lemon Peel Style Ball (small)
2. c. 1850's- 1860's H- stitch or belted ball (full size)
3. c. 1860's CDV of a ball player taken at a Baltimore photography studio

[vintagesportscollector]

I'll toss in my 1860s H-pattern ball, as well.

image.jpg

[JLange]

...but still the oldest thing I own.

1893 children's book with baseball and football motif.

[bobfreedman]

My to oldest piece from 1889

[khkco4bls]

Various lemon peels and "H" style balls.