1st 5 HOF

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by h2oya311

It was actually a postcard from the Big Train’s rookie season (1907, away jersey) according to Hank. I think it was cut for a photo album or some other oval shaped display, although it does remind me of the shapes used for composite photos during that era. It’s definitely my favorite image of WaJo. And the fact that it’s on cardboard stock (postcard) makes it that much more appealing to me. Thanks for the nice words!

That spectacular piece was pasted to the bottom of a Type I photo of WaJo in his classic pitching form (the cover of my paperback, see Amazon.com) in a framed collage of photos I believe to have been assembled by my grandmother for a 1929 banquet to honor new Nationals manager Walter Johnson back from spring training to start that season. The collage hung in the den of the house I grew up in in Chevy Chase D.C. until Mom left the house several years ago after 60 years, at which time it was disassembled and most of the photos sold at auction. I kept this one for a while, then sold it on the B/S/T a couple years ago. I've always assumed it had been cut from a large 1907 team photo, although one cringes at the thought. I don't believe my grandmother would ever have done that, as she was quite the archivist of his career, more probably Walter himself as a callow youth, or his Mom at the request of some newspaperman for a photo, etc. I've always loved this image, and it's in my book. Quite the handsome young man, no? And oh, by the way, have you seen him throw the ball?

[h2oya311]

Originally Posted by Hankphenom

That spectacular piece was pasted to the bottom of a Type I photo of WaJo in his classic pitching form (the cover of my paperback, see Amazon.com) in a framed collage of photos I believe to have been assembled by my grandmother for a 1929 banquet to honor new Nationals manager Walter Johnson back from spring training to start that season. The collage hung in the den of the house I grew up in in Chevy Chase D.C. until Mom left the house several years ago after 60 years, at which time it was disassembled and most of the photos sold at auction. I kept this one for a while, then sold it on the B/S/T a couple years ago. I've always assumed it had been cut from a large 1907 team photo, although one cringes at the thought. I don't believe my grandmother would ever have done that, as she was quite the archivist of his career, more probably Walter himself as a callow youth, or his Mom at the request of some newspaperman for a photo, etc. I've always loved this image, and it's in my book. Quite the handsome young man, no? And oh, by the way, have you seen him throw the ball?

Thanks Hank! Appreciate your insight. I was the one who was fortunate enough to have purchased it from you on the BST. All I know is that it was most definitely cut from a postcard and had, at one point, been sent in the mail to Fullerton, California based on the back stamping. It has an Artura postcard back stamp box, so would have been issued between 1908-1924 according to Playle's. I'd like to believe it has a 1907 image and his baby face certainly suggests that it was issued very early in his illustrious career. Here's the back:



from Playle's:

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by h2oya311

Thanks Hank! Appreciate your insight. I was the one who was fortunate enough to have purchased it from you on the BST. All I know is that it was most definitely cut from a postcard and had, at one point, been sent in the mail to Fullerton, California based on the back stamping. It has an Artura postcard back stamp box, so would have been issued between 1908-1924 according to Playle's. I'd like to believe it has a 1907 image and his baby face certainly suggests that it was issued very early in his illustrious career. Here's the back:

from Playle's:

Hi Derek,
I wouldn't completely discount the possibility it was cut from a team photo just because it's postmarked and has a stamp box. Larger photos might have
been made into RPPCs for mailing purposes, too, I think. And it could be a 1907 photo made into an RPPC at a later date--they lived in Fullerton until early 1910. The photo and size just look to me to suggest that it wasn't an individual portrait to begin with. As for the year, I know that was their road uni in 1907, not sure about beyond that. And, as you say, he looks so very young here. Some mysteries will never be solved, but they don't all need to be.