This went for big money, but was it real? Sockalexis Postcard

[3-2-count]

I saw it as well. It's very much real. Great piece!!

[packs]

If it is real, then it is a hell of a piece. In my research I did find out a lot about the Maine League. According to a lot of what I read, the Maine League was actually quite a league. One author referred to it as a "mini Major League" where most owners were potato barons who were very serious about their teams. In my reading I did find a lot of references to owners hiring ringers to play a few games here and there for drawing cards and for important games, so it is possible that Sockalexis did play briefly for Bangor in 1907. I was just frustrated I couldn't find any hard references to him being involved with the league that late in his life as anything more than an umpire. This postcard must be incredibly rare if authentic. He must have only been a part of the team for days, weeks at the most.

[Brian Campf]

Deleted

[packs]

That is exactly what my research had led me to conclude. Which is what is most confusing to me. Maybe the 1907 date is not accurate. Although I don't know why the wrong date would be featured on a period postcard. It has happened before though. The only references I found to him being involved with organized baseball after 1903 were as an umpire and as a coach at a small school that sent several players to the New England League. There was an article written as late as 1912 about him and it made no reference to him playing as recently as 1907. It could be real and there are much more educated people on this forum, could you guys weigh in as to what led you to believe it is a 1907 period postcard?

[rhettyeakley]

Sockalexis' doings after his time in "Organized Ball" are not well documented. It may have been that he was simply hired for a time as a coach (or ringer) of some kind. It is obviously a real divided back (1907 or later) postcard. I have read every biography of Sockalexis ever written and the last decade of his life is usually painted with a broad brush as there isn't much written from the time to go by in newspapers, contemporary accounts, etc., etc.

[DixieBaseball]

Rhett - Congrats to your brother on winning a superb piece !

[ElCabron]

Holy crap!

I would have gladly bid twice that had I seen it. Amazing piece!

-Ryan

i wonder if one of our board members got this.

[packs]

Can anyone give a little info on how to confirm the authenticity of postcards like this? I saw that the split back is one indicator, are there other characteristics I can look for? Personally I came to the conclusion this was a fantasy piece created with an inaccurate date, but it looks like I was wrong. Any help in postcard dating would be fantastic.

[martindl]

Originally Posted by rhettyeakley

Sockalexis' doings after his time in "Organized Ball" are not well documented. It may have been that he was simply hired for a time as a coach (or ringer) of some kind.

Is there anything to be made of the caption? "Sockalexis On The War path" sounds like something you'd say about a coach or manager rather than a player. The players in the field have jerseys and he's wearing a sweater.

There again, is that a glove stuck up his sweater? For shagging balls or playing in a game?

Great postcard and a nice pickup for the lucky winner.

[packs]

Rhett certainly thinks its real and he has no doubt handled more postcards than I have. I still have a feeling its a modern postcard, but that is solely a feeling. It seems to me that if a fantasy piece of memorabilia were to be produced of Sockalexis, it makes the most sense that it would come out of Maine and for it to be in the hands of a Maine resident. I can see it being real and fully admit I honestly don't know one way or the other. If a board member did win the postcard it would be great if they could conduct a black light test and let us know how it turned out.

[prewarsports]

Hi Guys

I dont think it was any secret that I bought the postcard. I knew it was real but did not want to post anything until I had it in hand to be safe. I got it today and it is 100% real and in better condition than I thought. It is a real photo Silver Gelatin Postcard and the silver shean on the dark spots of the postcard is the dead giveaway that the postcard is 100% authentic. Just to be safe though, it also checks out under a blacklight. When you tilt it to the light it reflects like the Rotographs and other high quality Real Photo Postcards in the dark areas. I took a photo of it tilted in the light to show the reflection (cant be faked and proves the age) for the doubters.

Not looking to sell it ever, but I just wanted to post this so that people know for sure this is a legit postcard and a newly catalogued Sockalexis item.

Rhys Yeakley

[Bicem]

great pickup Rhys!!!!