Star BB Club CdV

[oldjudge]

I thought I would update the thread. Of the five possible "Star BB Club" locations, the one that seemed the most promising was the Sunbury, PA one. With that in mind I contacted the Northumberland County Historical Society; Northumberland is the county that Sunbury is in. I spoke to a very nice gentleman, explained what I was trying to identify, and sent him an image of the CdV. He made copies and distributed ithem to all the members of the Board of Directors of the historical society. The board studied and discussed the image and the news was good:

" Consensus of the Sunbury residents on our board is that the photo was taken in Sunbury and they believe the building in the background is the old railroad roundhouse."


So, I guess that what we have is the Star BB Club of Sunbury, PA

[ramram]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

I thought I would update the thread. Of the five possible "Star BB Club" locations, the one that seemed the most promising was the Sunbury, PA one. With that in mind I contacted the Northumberland County Historical Society; Northumberland is the county that Sunbury is in. I spoke to a very nice gentleman, explained what I was trying to identify, and sent him an image of the CdV. He made copies and distributed ithem to all the members of the Board of Directors of the historical society. The board studied and discussed the image and the news was good:

" Consensus of the Sunbury residents on our board is that the photo was taken in Sunbury and they believe the building in the background is the old railroad roundhouse."


So, I guess that what we have is the Star BB Club of Sunbury, PA

I'm perplexed, a roundhouse did not need or have a smoke stack. It absolutely looks like a mining location, with the spoil piles, etc, but that building looks nothing like a roundhouse.

Rob M.

[oldjudge]

I found this on line. It's from 40 years later (1907). It's not the same, but similar. Over the 40 years the building could have had some significant makeovers

[btcarfagno]

The unusual top to the large smokestack looks like a match, as do the myriad chimneys throughout the building or buildings.

Tom C

[smokelessjoe]

Here is an image I found online with the following notes: Striking workers during the violent year of 1877 often targeted the key properties of companies against which they were striking for arson and sabotage. The Round House at Pittsburgh was a hub of railroad activity and one of the company's most expensive properties.

[smokelessjoe]

Not sure if these are of any help being that its pittsburgh but still a very intriguing set of photos picturing the destruction. Check out this link for more views.

http://antiquephotographics.com/ster...-railroad-war/

[mzm55]

Hi Jay,

Here is some research I did this afternoon on your CDV in response to the historical society's determination. All research I do is through primary materials.

The Star Base Ball Club of Sunbury was first organized in April 1866 and played until at least 1871. The team played on a baseball ground located near the Northern Central Railroad Engine House (N.C.R.R.), “near the machine shops of the of the N.C.R.R.”

Records of the team’s existence between mid-1866 and 1871 are very sparse, if not non-existent. This paucity may be due to The Star Club’s merger with the Susquehanna Club in June 1866. According to the Sunbury American, “The Star Club of this place, has been merged into the Susquehanna Club…The Susquehanna has the materials to make a first-class club…”

A roster posted on May 5, 1866 shows the short-lived team's lineup as the following:

L. Dewart, C.
J. Malone, P.
A. Weaver, 1 b.
A. F. Clapp 2 b.
N. U. Fisher, 3 b.
H. Hourne l. f.
D. Irvin, c. f.
B. Rodrigue, r.f.

Newspaper articles begin referencing the club, again, in 1871. Through these accounts we are exposed to a very successful team. For example, on July 8, 1871 the Star Club defeated the Trevorton Club “ As usual the Star Club came off the victors.” Additionally, the Star Club continued to play at a field located at the Central Railroad Engine House.

In early August the 1871 Star Club played for the championship of Northumberland county against the Union Club of Watsontown at the Central Railroad field. During the first game the Star Club defeated the Union club in 1 hour and 15 minutes and by 16 runs, 27-11. The teams roster was as follows:

Smick, c
Bucher, p
Hopper 1st b
P. Krohn, 2d b
Welker, 3d b
Reese s. s
Eisley l.f.
R. Krohn c. f
Neuer, r.f.

This all considered, in conjunction with the Sunbury Historical Society’s assertion that the image in the baseball CDV is indeed railway grounds in Sunbury, demonstrates that the team pictured in the CDV is very likely the 1866 or 1871 Star Club of Sunbury, PA. Moreover, the creation of a CDV may have been made in lieu the team’s victorious record in 1871. While I do not know if the Star Club did indeed win the championship, they at least played a full season. In total, I am leaning towards the CDV being the 1871 Star Club.

Additionally, this research is not utterly complete. While I assert no records exist of this team between mid 1866 and the start of 1871, records may exist and my research may be lacking. The above blurb is strictly based on my findings so far.

Best,

Zach

[steve B]

Originally Posted by ramram

I'm perplexed, a roundhouse did not need or have a smoke stack. It absolutely looks like a mining location, with the spoil piles, etc, but that building looks nothing like a roundhouse.

Rob M.

Many buildings at the time had smokestacks, especially if they were outside urban areas.

The smokestack would have been from the steam plant, which provided both heat for the building and power for any powered machinery they had.
Heat for the roundhouse would have taken a lot of steam considering the size of those buildings. You really don't want the boilers of the engines feeezing and getting damaged. Some places also did repairs in the same building and could have used steam powered cranes and other tools.

And being a railroad they probably had a coal fired steam plant. So rather than spoil piles those would be cinder piles for the cinders from the coal plant as well as from the engines.

One of our local land marks was essentially destroyed by lightning late last year. The Hood smokestack was 100 feet tall, and the company made patent medicines.
http://lifefromtheroots.blogspot.com...lowell_22.html

Steve B

[oldjudge]

Leon-Thank goodness no one used that eraser in the past, or we never would have figured out who the team was.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Leon-Thank goodness no one used that eraser in the past, or we never would have figured out who the team was.

I have always said that if the marks are/look period we should consider leaving them. I have left quite a few alone (as I would have the writing on that beauty too, of course).....

[GaryPassamonte]

An astute friend has brought to my attention the fact that one of the players on the team has an eagle and not a star on his jersey. Does anyone have any ideas about this? The uniforms are alike other than the eagle being on one jersey.