Members related to Pre-War Ballplayers?

[npa589]

I just met the Great Granddaughter-in-Law of Edward Phelps (her husband is the great grandson) by way of selling her a C46 Imperial Tobacco card I had of him. She was thrilled to get the card, and has been searching for a card of him for each of their children. The C46 card will be a surprise gift to her husband, and her joy for acquiring must speak for his pride in his father, and in his father's father, and in his father's father's father. I'm a sucker for genealogy, and when baseball is intertwined - it's all the more intriguing.


I suggested that they may be interested in joining this site, especially since I have seen many other members who seem to have palpable connections to ballplayers of the past by way of name correlation, and I know I have spoken to people who are not so palpably connected, most likely because their relation is maternal.

I love stories like this, as I am sure many of you do, so I thought it would be neat to start a thread for members that are related to Pre-War ballplayers! As we all know, a large part, if not the largest part of collecting is contextual value which manifests itself into sentimental value. I would love to read of other stories similar to this that led people into the hobby for familial reasons!

Please share any details you would like with regard to the relation, and any pictures of items you would like to share - whether "mass"-produced or sentimentally valuable.



I'll start it off with a W600 portrait of Edward Phelps. They were aware of the fact that Edward Phelps was a member of the Pittsburgh team that played in the very first World Series, which took place in 1903. Of the two known W600 variations of Phelps, the 1903 one is of Phelps on Pittsburgh and is one of only 2 cards that portray him on the Pirates. Needless to say, she is now looking for one!

*Scan is from VCP.

[kmac32]

Elmer Miller who was the center fielder for the 1921 Yankees is my great great uncle. He was the first Yankee to ever get a hit in a world series and the first Yankee to ever score a run in a world series.

[npa589]

That's awesome. I guess then that it is safe to say that he literally started the dynasty. (by the way --- go Cubs.)

[phikappapsi]

Joe DiMaggio was my grandfathers first cousin. Though they never met, their parents had a falling out due to Joe Ds parents having some "unsavory affiliations"

[kmac32]

In a way, you might say that. LOL. However I'm a die hard Cub fan and dispose the Yankees. Do have a mini Miller museum in my home however.

[npa589]

Wanted to bump this to give some more people a chance to share.

.

[GoldenAge50s]

Moritz Herman "Dutch" Flohr was a cousin of mine who pitched for the 1934 Phil A's after being signed off the Duke University campus by Connie Mack.

Called "Mort" by the family, he pitched in 14 games, started 3 and had an 0-2 record. Wildness & arm trouble contributed to 1934 being his only ML season.

Mort was never on a baseball card but there are 2 Burke PC's of him & I also own one of the 8 x 11 original portrait photos, along w/ several signed index cards that he did for me a couple of yrs before he passed in 1999.

[npa589]

Incredible stuff Fred, do you know of any team postcards that include him on the team?

[GoldenAge50s]

Thanks Nate! I'm always on the lookout for anything "Mort", but all I've ever found were what I've shown above.

Anything Mort had saved from his college & ML career was lost in a flood in the '70's. He did have his 1934 A's jacket but sold it to a collector who contacted him around that same time. I think he said he got $300 for it!

PS---As for Team photo or PC's, I've never seen one that included him. If anyone has ANYTHING that includes him I would LOVE to see it!

[bbcard1]

I suspect but have not been able to confirm a connection to John Marcum of the just post dynasty Philadelphia As

[kkkkandp]

The best I can claim is to have been related through marriage to former major league pitcher Jim Beattie.

[yanksfan09]

One of my friends is somehow related to Cy Young, some sort of Great Great Uncle. I actually helped him acquire his first and only baseball card, a 1913 National Game Cy Young, from a member on this board. His Grandmother has a signed and personalized photo, but I've never seen it in person.

Another good friend of mine, his stepmother was related to Nat Fein who took the famous "Ruth Bows Out" Photo. His family has a vintage large signed print of that photo as well as a bunch of other Fein photos.

[bh3443]

Here's a relative on my Dad's side from Sweden.
Not a sports card, but he was pretty famous in his field!
Regards,
Bill Hedin
PS: I have a newspaper clipping (somewhere, need to find it!) of a relative on my paternal grand-mother's family (Messier) who played minor BB in the 40's.
This is a fun thread! Thanks, Bill Hedin

[bh3443]

I need to thank my good buddies on the no sport part for helping me get enough of this card and Sven Hedin's other cards from Europe for my family!
Dan C. and Ron Levin, THANK YOU guys!
Dan and I go back to the mid 70's and Ron has been my friend since I met him at age 10 at one of my shows. Ron and our youngest daughter went to Prom's together!
These two guys are among the smartest and best people I've had the pleasure to know.
Regards,
Bill Hedin

[drc]

My great grandfather was the quarterback of the first Michigan State football team in the 1880s. My parents have the team photo somewhere.

[aquarius31]

Originally Posted by drc

My great grandfather was the quarterback of the first Michigan State football team in the 1880s. My parents have the team photo somewhere.

Hey David, does this MSU team photo look familiar? I recently contacted the MSU archives regarding a 19th century baseball photo and in my research I came across this football photo which is the first 'official' football team. PM me if you want the contact person over there as she was very helpful.

George

[Jayjones82]

My grandfather played in the minors for the Tigers after WWII (he played in the mill leagues before the war), but came back to GA when my grandmother had their first child (my dad).

[martin neal]

I just put a new roof on Joe Hicks' house, He played in the late 50's , early 60's. He had some nice anecdotes about Casey Stengel with whom he played for (Mets) in the early 60's. That's as close as I can get.

[HexsHeroes]

Hey, George M.

Have you located any photos to support the cabinet photo you recently purchased on eBay is an 1880's Michigan Ag College team? I ask, because after doing alittle research, I sent the following inquiry to the seller (who did not reply, or post question to eBay listing before end of auction):

Dear detroitbaseballclub,

I might have agreed with your hypothesis that this image is of the Michigan Agricultural College, except that in the 1880's, this college was still formally know as State Agricultural College (beginning in 1861). It did not formally become Michigan Agricultural College (MAC) until 1909. I would have guessed that a college sponsored team would have the formal abbreviation on it's uniform (SAC), especially since this team predated the renaming of the college by 20+ years.


It was the uncovering of this info, and the inability to locate a 19th century image of the SAC/MAC football team, that influenced my decision not to bid on that particular item. Just curious whether you have located such an image for confirmation purposes ?

[z28jd]

Six of my cousins are also related to Dots Miller. Had this display made for his cards (We were born in the same town, so it also has the town theme) http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=146531

His family has some cool items of him, spread out between a lot of the relatives. My cousins don't have much, an old team panorama and some misc items like business cards, pictures, etc but there are actually uniforms and gloves(might be only one) out there

[aquarius31]

Originally Posted by HexsHeroes

Hey, George M.

Have you located any photos to support the cabinet photo you recently purchased on eBay is an 1880's Michigan Ag College team? I ask, because after doing alittle research, I sent the following inquiry to the seller (who did not reply, or post question to eBay listing before end of auction):

Dear detroitbaseballclub,

I might have agreed with your hypothesis that this image is of the Michigan Agricultural College, except that in the 1880's, this college was still formally know as State Agricultural College (beginning in 1861). It did not formally become Michigan Agricultural College (MAC) until 1909. I would have guessed that a college sponsored team would have the formal abbreviation on it's uniform (SAC), especially since this team predated the renaming of the college by 20+ years.


It was the uncovering of this info, and the inability to locate a 19th century image of the SAC/MAC football team, that influenced my decision not to bid on that particular item. Just curious whether you have located such an image for confirmation purposes ?

Hi Vincent, yes I did find the 1889 MAC baseball image which was an exact match to the photo I purchased off ebay! It took a lot of data mining but it was well worth the effort. In reviewing the 19th century MSU Speculum newsletter I found many references to 'MAC' which I found odd given that it did not officially change it names until 1909 as you've already pointed out. In a few of the Speculum newsletters, I was able to find detailed accounts of games played against rivals such as Albion and Olivet college along with the rosters. Further research lead me to the MSU Archives and this image of the 1888 MSU baseball team (clearly with MAC on the jerseys). Some of the players and the manager (Professor Carpenter) from the 1888 team matched those on the 1889 team so I knew that I was heading in the right direction. The MSU archives was able to do a little more research for me and find the exact photo of the team which was printed in the 1889 Harrow yearbook. The yearbook even identified all the players and while I'm unable to match up all the names with the players, they are definitely the same image! If you want more details, send me a PM.

Photograph 1 = 1888 MSU baseball team
Photograph 2 = 1889 MSU baseball team (the one I purchased)
Photograph 3 = 1889 MSU baseball team from the Harrow yearbook

[HexsHeroes]

/

[npa589]

Bill:

I absolutely love that, sooo cool. I don't even care that it's not baseball - that is so awesome, and much more rare of a relational occurence.

I would LOVE to find out that some distant relative traveled up to Alaska to be apart of the Iditarod or something!!! We've all seen that great movie, Iron Will right? One of my favorites growing up. Such a good movie.

[bh3443]

Hi Nate,
I've found cards of Sven Hedin from other countries, too! He is featured on a Liebig (French?) complete 6 card set highlighting his mapping of the Silk Road and Tibet.
There's even a ton of videoes on youtube about his work exploring.
Thanks for the kind words, Nate, I will put some others on including a cousin Pierre who is on an Upper Deck Swedish Hockey card!
Regards,
Bill Hedin

[h2oya311]

and not nearly as "fun" as everyone else's posts before mine, but HOF legend Bob Feller is my third cousin, twice removed. Don't even try to figure that one out...it's almost as bad as a line from Spaceball's, the movie:

Dark Helmet: "I am your father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate."

At any rate, I will always remember my grandmother asking me if I had any Bob Feller cards...now that I have the means, I do =)

[bh3443]

From Sweden, distant cousin Pierre. He's on a few Upper Deck cards.
We prounounce our last name Ha-deen here in Massachusetts. Some cousins in Connecticut and many in England and Swedin say Head-in. And a bunch of my customers over the years say Hi-Deen!
When I was on facebook, I started a group called "Bill Hedin club of Bill Hedins" and we had over a dozen of us from the US, England, Sweden and more!

[whaler]

My great-grandfather:

[npa589]

Awesome!

[HOF Auto Rookies]

[QUOTE=h2oya311;1024374]Dark Helmet: "I am your father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate."QUOTE]

I think you mean "Lord Helmet" , that's very neat though.

[MacDice]

Related by marriage, Harry T. Smith (can't afford his E107 or W600)

[CubsFanCurt]

http://www.baseball-reference.com/pl...arrebi01.shtml

He is on my father's mom's side. They used pig bladders as catcher mitts. a ball nailed him in the eye and he had complications from it that affected him until his death

[Tuna82]

Great thread...thanks to who everyone who shared.

[E93]

Bill,
Was he a famous explorer or something? That looks like the Potala Palace (the Dalai Lama's monastery) in Lhasa, Tibet in the background.
JimB

Originally Posted by bh3443

Here's a relative on my Dad's side from Sweden.
Not a sports card, but he was pretty famous in his field!
Regards,
Bill Hedin
PS: I have a newspaper clipping (somewhere, need to find it!) of a relative on my paternal grand-mother's family (Messier) who played minor BB in the 40's.
This is a fun thread! Thanks, Bill Hedin

[npa589]

Talk about pre-war, impressive.

Originally Posted by CubsFanCurt

http://www.baseball-reference.com/pl...arrebi01.shtml

He is on my father's mom's side. They used pig bladders as catcher mitts. a ball nailed him in the eye and he had complications from it that affected him until his death

[attellfan4life]

My great great Uncles Abe Attell and Monte Attell both world boxing champs in the early 1900s. Of course Abe being involed in the 1919 world series fix as the go to guy.

[Drew6]

Not sure this counts, but I just found out that my brother's wife is the great niece of Edgar Clough - a pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1924-1926 or 1927. He was on the 1926 World Series Chapmion team that beat the Yankees. I am now looking for any card, etc... he may be on. I know he is on the M101-7 Sporting News Supplement. If anyone has one in nice shape for sale, let me know - we are trying to put a collection for him. As an 10 year old - that would be a pretty cool piece. Drew

[Exhibitman]

Grandpa's 1st cousin, so my 1st cousin twice removed:




1951 Ringside signed release:




Promo photo from when he signed to fight for the lightweight title; Jack Dempsey was to promote it. Unfortunately, the fight was signed for on October 6, 1929, less than 4 weeks before the stock market crash. I suspect that the crash derailed the promotion.


Another 1st cousin twice removed:

[Bocabirdman]

Mr Miller's former Deerfield Beach Address is literally two blocks from where I lived for five years when I first moved down here to Florida.

[Exhibitman]

Well, since he died in 1987, I think he's moved...

[Bocabirdman]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Well, since he died in 1987, I think he's moved...

So...I missed him by six years....

[npa589]

I just had someone contact me about his grandfather, asking me if I knew of any cards with him being displayed. Here is the message:

"My grandfather played on the 1910 Tacoma tigers, I would love to have his card do you have one or could you find one. His name is Robert McFadden"


Anyone know of any issues with McFadden?

[sportsbaron]

Originally Posted by aquarius31

Hi Vincent, yes I did find the 1889 MAC baseball image which was an exact match to the photo I purchased off ebay! It took a lot of data mining but it was well worth the effort. In reviewing the 19th century MSU Speculum newsletter I found many references to 'MAC' which I found odd given that it did not officially change it names until 1909 as you've already pointed out. In a few of the Speculum newsletters, I was able to find detailed accounts of games played against rivals such as Albion and Olivet college along with the rosters. Further research lead me to the MSU Archives and this image of the 1888 MSU baseball team (clearly with MAC on the jerseys). Some of the players and the manager (Professor Carpenter) from the 1888 team matched those on the 1889 team so I knew that I was heading in the right direction. The MSU archives was able to do a little more research for me and find the exact photo of the team which was printed in the 1889 Harrow yearbook. The yearbook even identified all the players and while I'm unable to match up all the names with the players, they are definitely the same image! If you want more details, send me a PM.

Photograph 1 = 1888 MSU baseball team
Photograph 2 = 1889 MSU baseball team (the one I purchased)
Photograph 3 = 1889 MSU baseball team from the Harrow yearbook

Here is my 1887 Harrow, the first MAC yearbook!