1920's??? N173 Display

[Joe_G.]

Hello Brock,

I really don't know what to make of these pieces. I have studied them over the years but can't add much. Their production date could be on or near the 50th anniversary of the NL (1876 - 1926) but we cannot be sure. Whoever pulled them together didn't do a very good job researching team names. Some are listed by modern name such as the Tigers while others by names that pre-date the photos (Knickerbockers) etc. The re-printed images are all based on either the Goodwin & Co. cabinets from 1888 & 1889 or studio proofs that could span a wider range of dates. Most of the photos were first taken in 1887 and first appeared as cards in 1887 as N172s. The players selected seem to be more a function of who they could find from each team vs picking the best players to represent the team.

I also find the team selection strange if this were really attempting to commemmorate the NL's 50th. The St. Louis Browns were an American Association team that jumped to the NL in 1892, why show AA photos? Also, why pick a team, Detroit, that was only briefly in the NL (1881-1888). The American League Detroit Tigers (1901-present) do not have ties to the older NL team.

These may be more about celebrating "old time" baseball of the 1880s, an era well documented in photo, than anything else.