I Think We Need an Ed Delahanty Appreciation Post

[z28jd]

The Philadelphia Phillies and Philadelphia media (as well as baseball media in general) ran with this from last night:

Kyle Schwarber joins Mike Schmidt as the second player in franchise history with 5 hits and 3 home runs in the same game. Schmidt did so in his four HR game, April 17, 1976 at CHI.

One of the greatest Phillies players ever in his greatest game had five hits and four homers. Ed Delahanty did that on July 13, 1896. He had the second four-homer game in MLB history, as well as a single.

I've heard some say they consider him to be the best hitter of the 19th century, so show 'em if you got 'em. Don't let the greats of the game be forgotten.

[drumback]

"He was quick and impulsive, easily aroused, yet quick to forgive. He was generous to a fault, and as ingenuous as a child, and, according to his wife, a good husband and fond father. His death will be mourned by thousands and thousands of lovers of baseball the world over who recognized in him the greatest batsman of the age."

Washington Times, July 1903.

[sb1]

Both versions of his W600 cabinet 1902 and the 1903

[Yoda]

I only have a PC of Niagara Falls.

[paul]

Scott, those are beauties. Do you really need two that have only slight variations?

[oldjudge]

Early Big Ed

[oldjudge]

1890 Cleveland Players League team cabinet with Big Ed and Pete Browning.

[scotgreb]

Delahanty 1895 N300 Mayo's PSA 2 31837454.jpg

[oldjudge]

1890 cabinet with the Cleveland Players League team

[oldjudge]

N172s

[brianp-beme]

Ed has always been out of my reach, having only a few tough and expensive cards during his playing career after 1900, and me being a 20th century prewar card collector.

But...his baseball playing brothers probably appreciated him, so here are brothers Jim and Frank in the T206 set. Each of their T206 cards are probably more common than the combined population of Ed Delahanty cards during his playing days.

Brian (the T206 Frank on the right is a scan from a Net54 thread started by our timely Ted -- I don't like to think of him as late -- about the Delahanty brothers)

[sb1]

Originally Posted by paul

Scott, those are beauties. Do you really need two that have only slight variations?

Yes!

[ghostmarcelle]

Ridiculously cool Jay!

[puckpaul]

M101-1, Duke, w601

[sb1]

Some really nice and scarce items in the thread shown by Jay and Paul.

[oldjudge]

I forgot this little guy. Thanks Mark and Scott!

[bxb]

Not a card, but a book I highly recommend for all Delahanty fans:


https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1725538459

[z28jd]

Some great items. I don't think I've ever seen the Pepsin pin before, so that's really cool to see.

[Rhotchkiss]

There are some truly amazing pieces in this thread!

[h2oya311]

Big Ed c1888. Interesting that it’s the same image that’s used for his Cameo Pepsin Gum Pin. I had no idea!

[sb1]

Its also the same image as the W600

[Bpm0014]

I love showing these off! Court papers, right from the trial…

[z28jd]

Wow, Brendan, that is amazing to read in such detail!

[Bpm0014]

Wow, Brendan, that is amazing to read in such detail!

It truly gives such great insight into the matter!

[paul]

I know this isn't really the point of the post, but I found it interesting that Delahanty was in the process of signing with the Giants. I had never heard that before.

[benchod]

Originally Posted by sb1

Both versions of his W600 cabinet 1902 and the 1903

Amazing 1903, Scott
Is that from the upstate New York find and Connelly auctions?

Amazing Big Ed collection, Jay
Love the cabinets

[benchod]

I'll post a couple of my favorites that no else has posted
N173 and it's little brother

[oldjudge]

Beautiful N173, Craig. First time I have seen that one.

[h2oya311]

Wowza on the N173s in this thread!!!

[yomass]

He actually did sign a contract with the Giants for 1903-05. He received a $4,000 advance on a salary of $19,000 for the three years, which he spent before the season started (contract signed November 5, 1902).

The American and National Leagues later agreed to honor each other's contracts; Delahanty was returned to Washington and the Giants contract was cancelled.

[Baseball Rarities]

Here is one more N173.

[Bpm0014]

Wow. Great N173!

[Cat]

Big Ed

[pkaufman]

The International Bridge still stands to this day The current in the Niagara River at this point is very swift, up to 13-15 knots.

[jingram058]

Imagine being drunk to beat the band. So drunk you don't know which end is up, even pulling a woman out of her sleeping berth by her ankles. Finally, the conductor has no choice but to put you off the train...right at Niagara Falls, in the middle of the night, in total darkness. You stagger off toward lights in the distance, on the other side of the bridge. You can hear the rushing torrent. You are met by some guy on the bridge with a lantern in your face, as you have somehow made it onto the bridge without falling through the cross ties and support beams. You struggle with the man, a watchman or bridge tender, who is trying to get through to you to get you off the bridge. You fall through, and drop into ice-cold water. It takes your breath away. You instantly sober up and struggle. But the current is too fast. You are inhaling water...

Like a bad horror movie. Only it's real. Actually happened.

Why couldn't he have been put off the train ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE, only three-quarters of a mile further?

[pkaufman]

The International Bridge (a train only bridge) connects Buffalo with Fort Erie, Ontario. Delahanty would indeed have been able to see the lights of Buffalo from the Canadian side of the bridge, some electric light and some candlelight. Niagara Falls is approximately 15 miles down river from the point where the International Bridge crosses the river. The current carries bodies down river until they go over the Falls. His body was found several days later at Niagara Falls, NY, thus his place of death was ruled to be at Niagara Falls.