Took some photos of the Clinton Owls minor league balls from 1937-38 for Jodi.

That team was only around for 5 seasons if memory serves correct. Interesting how labored Bert Haas' signature was so early in his career. Conversely, Sukey's signature remained consistent from his 1926 debut until his death in 2000. Also, Sam Nahem's sig appears to have changed very little from those days until his death not long ago. Granted, it's a touch more legible (and includes a paraph) in Dan's early example featured above, but letter formation is unchanged. I tried visiting Nahem many years ago, but could never reach him on the phone. His answering machine message was, "This is Sam. SPEAK!"! It really left me not wanting to speak!

From the c. 1937-38 Clinton lineup, the toughest MLB sig is definitely that of Leo Mangum. Died in the mid-1960's and still on many want lists. I had two or three at one point, but am down to a single example.

I have lots of old minor league team-signed album pages and a few balls. If anybody has any they want to trade, or if anyone is looking for something in particular, feel free to email me.

Thanks for the scans Dan!

Here's some Wichita Indains items.

Baseball Tips

A good for token when Becker played for the Wichita Jobbers. Dan when did you become a moderator?

Sweet Beals Becker token...I became a moderator yesterday to help Leon keep the board tidy...I won't be kicking people off or anything like that, I'll leave that to Leon.

has Buffalo team, my "chase team"

Buffalo circa 1940s

Didn't know you dabbled in the Bisons Dan; well done. Something about old stadiums and players who worked in the off season to make ends meet... Thanks for sharing those shots.
jim

I collect snapshots and got these in a big lot of Eastern League and International League photos.

I collect Chattanooga Lookouts. The first piece is a 1952 Lookouts championship team post card manager Ermer mailed to his mother. Second piece is a 1955 Lookouts jersey. Next are a few items I picked up this week. First is a 1939 Sanford Lookouts championship team photo. This team is I think #68 on the minor league 100 greatest teams. The last two signed photos are from a collection of 1938 Centreville Colts. Notice they used hand-me-down Phillies uniforms from the parent club.

Andy

Nice Holden pic. Holden was from the area in which I now reside. I believe his son was a congressman for a while.

1936 Nashville Vols baseball

I collect Chattanooga and other Tennessee teams like Nashville and Knoxville and it seems Vols stuff can be tough to find, at least for me.

The Holden pic came from a collection that featured pics of just about the entire team. Each pic was staged just like the Holden pic and then signed. The photos are larger than a '52 Topps card but smaller than a 3x5. I do not collect that particular league or team but they fit nicely into my collection.

Posted this before, but what the heck, will post it again.

A Very rare celluloid Narragansett Brewing Company Schedule/Scorekeeper for the 1910 Providence Grays




Jim, great piece on the Eastern league.

Any chance you can tell me the lineup of the providence team? I have a scorebook for a providence team for 1905 but am not sure it's for the grays.

thanks! Greg

Those are very nice pieces Jim and Andy. It looks like there are alot of us minor league collectors out there. Greg, I don't remember seeing that schedule before very cool. It's extra special when you can combine two collecting niches into one piece.

I bought this a few years back from a gentleman who worked for the Wichita Aeros. It's very large around 3' x 6'. If anybody has one of these jerseys they want to sell let me know.

Clint

I gotta tell ya, I'm usually a big fan of ugly uniforms, but those are horrid! Ugh! I hope they were burned, much like my retinas were after viewing them!

Jodi, there are a few out there that I know of so they weren't burned. They really don't look that bad when viewing the tops only. I do have to agree, together they look pretty bad.

Clint

Whoa! Those uniforms are sweet. The pants on that kid with the bat though??? Those are UGLY!

edited to add: Jodi, I sent you an email on that Nashville baseball...I'm almost certain it's from 1936.

I am a big minor league collector. I used to be strictly pre-war major league but in the last 5-6 years I've focused more on minor league. There is a good deal of material out there, it's just a matter of focusing your collecting. For me it was easy, I grew up in a baseball-rich town and that is the focus of my collecting.
One thing in my collection that creeps out the in-laws? In the photo below that is a mannequin wearing a 1959 Lookouts uniform (the scandal season) and yes, he is standing in my bedroom.

Andy, those are great uniforms. Didn't the lookouts have a jersey where the o's were eyeballs or was that just a fantasy piece?

Clint

This has been the Lookouts logo since the early 1990's...

Couldn't help it, sorry:



This is one of the few Indians minor league items I have, a 4.5-inch glass:

Rob, that's the first time I've seen one of those jerseys since you guys wore them. Is that the jersey you hit the grand slam in? Do you have the home also?

Clint

Clint,

I'm pretty sure I have the home jersey, I'm just not sure where it is (!). It took me 15-20 minutes to find this one. 1989 was the first season Wichita was the Wranglers, so I assumed they used those jerseys in the seasons that followed. Is that not correct? If that was a one-year style, maybe I need to be a little more serious and find the home version.

Edited to add that I looked through my closet again and found the home jersey. It was hidden between a 1980s Ohio State basketball jersey that I got at a university "garage sale" and a T-shirt from Sam's Hot Dogs restaurant in the Outer Banks, N.C.

Man, I'm an idiot.

Rob, I don't know if that was a one year style or not. Did they let you keep your jerseys back then or did you have to buy them? The Dugout would always have a few jerseys from different years but I don't recall seeing any of those or the home jerseys. You should get those framed.

Clint

Did they let you keep your jerseys back then or did you have to buy them?

As a rule, they really didn't let us keep them. But the folks in the front office knew that 1989 was my last season (I had decided in August to retire at the end of the season), so they let me keep them.

I'll tell you, that year was the first year the Wichita club was owned by the Riches, and the people in the front office did things first class (well, as first class as a Double-A organization can be). In previous seasons (before the Riches bought the team), Wichita hardly ever flew to road games, and in the Texas League that really sucks. But most of the time when we had road trips to El Paso or San Antonio, the club flew us there. Players really appreciated that.

Hello,This is my very first post.I really enjoy this forum.I have been collecting baseball items for a few years now I thought I would share a couple of minor league items with everyone.












The first I think is a Montreal royals home flannel
an old border league rawlings baseball from around 1948.
last Joe Bloomer game use baseball bat he pitched for the Buffalo Bisons in the 1920s

Keeping with the Buffalo theme, although this photo dates from when Buffalo was part of the Major League(s).

Welcome aboard Dave...looks like you've got some great items.

Nice cabinet Elliot!

Here's a 1940's Montreal photo...I'm pretty sure this was an away uniform.

Here is the Prov team I think:
Mgr J Dunn
Brodie, jacklitsch, Cronin, Josslyn, _ops, McFarland, Thomas, Poole, Rock, Ball, Polland, Puttnam, Morgan. Do any names match up; script writing on shirts hard to tell if it was Rochester or Providence.

Great Buffalo cabinet; who is the player?
jim

Not positive who it is, I would appreciate any help on that.
Given the dating and the fact that it is a right handed pitcher, i think it could be Galvin sans moustache.

I forgot I had this.Not vintage but still cool from 1965.

Here is a letter from the Jeannette Bisons. The team played for a couple years in the Pennsylvania State Association. Their last year was 1937. This letter is from March 1938 and shows the close of business inventory.

Jim,

YOU MADE MY DAY!

This is why I love this forum. Fellow collectors helping each other out!

That lineup is exactly what I have in my scorebook. It's dated 1905, has page after page of baseball scoresheets, each with a brewery advetisement on each page. The book lists the club as the Providence Baseball Club. Had always Assumed it was the Grays but now know for sure.

Thanks Again Jim !!!

I'll scan some pics of it later.

by the way, those are some sweet looking pieces you guys are showing

Speaking of the 1905 Providence team.... (sorry in advance for the scan size...Dan, can you help me out?)

Nice team Eliot; any chance you or anyone else have the 1904 or 1906 Buffalo team composite? Shameless add-on, if yes, I would like to purchase it. Have been looking for one for about 8 years now.

Just for clarification - In 1905 (and only 1905) they were actually called the Providence Clamdiggers. After that, they became the Grays again.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Providence_Clamdiggers

Rob M.

Sorry Jim, no Buffalo w601's here, although I remember missing out on one and regretting it.
Great info Rob....that means that the Clamdiggers were a championship team in their only year of existence, surprised that they would retire the name.

Hey Greg -

As a collector of team scorebooks, I look forward to seeing picks of your Providence book. Can you tell us what teams they played against and if they played against any non-league teams?

Rob M.

Elliot, does this mean you are a Buffalo team collector also? I really didn't need any more competition for their items!

Jim, nope, besides which I wouldn't be much competition.

Here are some pics of the scorebook. It advertised for the Empire Cafe in Providence, dated 1905.

Just received this 1934 Hutchinson Larks minor league postcard.

Jim

I have a small (maybe 30 page) scrapbook of the 1903-06 Buffalo team with lots of newspaper photos and a few other items (and a few signatures of a couple of their players). E mail me if you are interested in that.

Rhys

themodo@hotmail.com

Representing the PCL here.

1931 Portland Beavers autograph sheet with Ira Flagstead and "Indian" Bob Johnson being the highlights.

I have two different Lousville Colonels team pictures featuring Pee Wee Reese. The first one (pictured) is a 1938 team picture. The second one I have (not shown) is from the 1939 season. The neat thing about the 1939 team picture is that it was once owned by Reese and from what I understand actually hung in his den at his home in Louisville until his death in 1999. The ironic thing about it is that it is signed by every player on the team except Reese. I guess since it was his personal photo he didn't really need to ever sign it.

Here is my 1995 Albany Polecats game used jersey worn by Vladimir Guerrero. It was his Class A jersey. I even have a letter with it from the authority on Minor League jerseys, the late Dick Dobbins. I also have Guerrero's 1994 Gulf Coast Expos Rookie League jersey which was Guerrero's first ever professional jersey that he wore in the U.S.

Dan,

That Montreal snapshot you posted appears to depict Chris Hartje, one of baseball's tragic deaths. He was with the Royals from 1939-40, to give you a date on the pic.

I'll have to check that out...I'm pretty sure that most of these photos have the names written on the back...I'm at work today so I can't check until late tonight.

BTW I never heard back from you on the Nash Vols ball...I am interested as to what would make a 1936 ball more desirable than the 1934. Thanks!