Umpires

[h2oya311]

Thanks Paul (and David) -

The style of the postcard looks mildly familiar to me, but I couldn’t find any other examples of player postcards online with this style. Anyone have a player from this postcard “set”?

Without any other examples, I have to believe that this was custom made by McGowan because he was very proud of his accomplishments. You’ll see that it was sent by McGowan to his “girlfriend” in 1915. Perhaps he was simply trying to impress her.

[paul]

Wow, if you ever want to let it go ...

[FourStrikes]

1920s-1930s RPPC

[h2oya311]

FourStrikes - interestingly, I own one of those as well....mine has different staining than the one you shared. Is it yours? I believe it to also be from the mid- to late-teens (not 1920s) as my postcard was also addressed to Irene (same girl that was the object of Bill's affection from my other postcard). McGowan met and married his future wife in 1918 (not Irene), so my guess is that the postcard you just shared is also from around 1915-1918. Very cool to know that another exists! It has that same crummy handwriting on front, but different corner creases and stains.

[kdixon]

Umpires O'Day and Hart.

[uffda51]

[oldjudge]

Bob Caruthers: “The story of Bob Caruthers is one of peaking early before beginning a long, slow decline. He was one of the stalwarts of 19th century baseball, winning 40 games twice (1885 and 1889) and finishing off his nine-year career with a 218-99 record. He started 310 games and completed 298 of them. After his big league career was over, he played and managed in the minors. One of the least imposing umpires ever (he stood just 5-foot-7 and weighed 138 pounds), he became an AL umpire in 1902 and 1903. Apparently, he was not a particularly good umpire, so he was demoted to the minor leagues, slowly going downward in class till 1911, when he died at the age of 47.”

[FourStrikes]

Originally Posted by h2oya311

FourStrikes - interestingly, I own one of those as well....mine has different staining than the one you shared. Is it yours? I believe it to also be from the mid- to late-teens (not 1920s) as my postcard was also addressed to Irene (same girl that was the object of Bill's affection from my other postcard). McGowan met and married his future wife in 1918 (not Irene), so my guess is that the postcard you just shared is also from around 1915-1918. Very cool to know that another exists! It has that same crummy handwriting on front, but different corner creases and stains.

Derek:

sorry it's taken me a while to reply - it was buried in a "need to re-file" box.

YES, it's mine, has not but mailed nor written upon, and has a patch of black paper residue from a scrapbook
on back, with "The Sanborn Studio, 404 Market St. Wilmington, Del." along the left edge on reverse.

great that you have the "to Irene" messages handwritten and sent by McGowan!

[FourStrikes]

unidentified "ump" looking dude, with 1904-18 AZO stamp box

[Leon]

Great cards, guys. Here is another....RPPC