Doug, post #25 had you asking about the photo in post #14.
My grandfather, Mathew Wakefield, was born in 1880. I have a handful of memories of him, he passed when I was 6 or so. I recall that at my Aunt's house, in an upstairs bedroom, was my grandfather. On his dresser was that picture. I think he was showing me a pocket watch or pocketknife, and I recall that photo. Later, I remember wondering about it. New York on the jersey, NY on the hat. Had to be the Yankees. It being the Giants was inconceivable to my peanut kid brain, I knew the Giants were in San Francisco. As a pre-teenager, I figured out who Dusty Rhodes was, and the picture was on my little desk in my room. By college days I realized that in the 1954 World Series Dusty Rhodes went 4 for 6, with 7 RBIs and 2 home runs.
And before grad school I am aware that he did that in 3 games, the lore being that he'd celebrated so much after game 3 that he was unlikely to be called upon to bat, but I now doubt that.
Dusty didn't start any of those games. His first HR was down the right field line, much less than 300 feet. Some of the Media considered it a cheap home run. The Media had less to say about that after his HR in game 2 was out to center field, way more than 400', out there where Willie had made The Catch the day before.
Daddy Wake, as I knew him, had been a farmer, in western Kentucky. He had some renown in being able to raise a good tobacco crop, and being skilled in treating tobacco for the various disease and insect problems. In later years he ran a newstand in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. That was the home of the Hopkinsville Hoppers, of the class D Kitty League. Dusty started professional play there in 1947, with the Hoppers, hitting .326 and slugging .474, in 125 games. Here's a link to his bio:
https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/Dusty-Rhodes/
So... that picture is the image used on the 1955 Topps cards of Dusty Rhodes, card #1. NY fans loved him because he ran hard to first, and could reach the short outfield wall in right, down there by the foul pole.
I decided to try and make copies of the photo, and that's when I learned it's not a photo. It's a PMT. Photo Mechanical Transfer. It was a bunch of dots. I eventually got several copies made.
I'm thinking either Daddy Wake knew Dusty from that 1947 season, or maybe Dusty made his way through Hopkinsville, KY and Nashville, TN (he played there in 1952, before going up to the Giants in July) on some sort of a dinner speaking circuit, or maybe as a salesman for one of the Distilleries in that fine state that provides fine bourbon for sensible folk.
In the early 2000's I wrote Dusty, he lived in Redbud, CA at the time, I sent him several of my reprints (that had no trace of the writing), and a copy of my original. I asked him to sign 2 of them and mail them back in the SASE I'd sent, and suggested he keep the others for himself. And I asked some questions. He sent the photos back, asked me a few questions, didn't recall Daddy Wake, and answered my questions.
The only other time I've seen one of these it was offered in one of the best auctions going, Scott Brockelman's. I bid enough that I got it.
That SABR bio is a brief, interesting article, even if you hate the Giants.
And look at retrosheet.org for the play by play. I wrote those guys, asking questions and for signed index cards (which is sent, with SASE's), most signed. Sadly, I wrote Don Liddle just after he had passed, my recollection is that his wife sent me a photo that he'd signed. Marv Grissom signed and answered questions. I think it was he that told me... Don Liddle came into that first game to relieve Maglie after the first two reached. Liddle pitched to Wertz, who hit that ball 460' feet to center, leading to The Catch. Durocher had seen all that he wanted from Liddle, and sent me it. As I get to the mound and get the ball, Don turns to me and said "I got my man, you get yours."
01-08-2024, 08:29 PM
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