Welcome to our community

Be apart of something great, join today!

Rare Cap Anson related postcard from 1907-08. GREAT NEW INFO

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

fkw

New member
May 28, 2010
879
0
Kea'au, HI
Re: Rare Cap Anson related postcard find from 1907-08.

wow that is a cool image, love the outfield grass. the game looks so rural, with the stands looking like a barn in ways. very cool
 

gracecollector

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
6,559
215
Lake in the Hills, IL
Re: Rare Cap Anson related postcard find from 1907-08.

I did pickup the postcard today and it's really a cool item. Happy to report I've made a few discoveries this afternoon.

The building in the background is the Collins and Burgie Stove Factory (cast iron stove factory). I found a picture in a McHenry County Images of America book. The rooflines, chimney shape and placement match perfectly. What's helpful to me is the information about the fire. Since the factory suffered a huge fire in Oct. 07, and blowing up details from the postcard, it explains why the windows are so busted and boarded up. Also knowing that Anson only barnstormed with the team in 1907 and 1908, I now know the postcard dates from 1908 (07 season would have been over, photo is post-fire).

Postcard closeup:
AnsonsColtsCloseup2.jpg

Images from history book:
MarengoStoveWorks1.jpg

MarengoStoveWorks2.jpg


Now, the search for Anson. From photos from the Library of Congress, I have Anson's uniform style and identifying features.

AnsonThird1.jpg

AnsonThird2.jpg


Anson's hat has a dark colored brim, a wide dark belt, and a single pinstripe down the side of the pant. In other photos, I noticed the players on the team wore striped stockings, but Anson wears solid dark colored stockings. Anson was 6'2", which was tall at the time, but at his age he was starting to put on weight. He also usually managed/coached from where a 3rd base coach stands today.

Blowing up the postcard, it's quite likely the squatting person is Anson. Solid color stripes, matching uniform with single leg pinstripe, right body type. I can't be 100% sure, but I'm guessing that's him. It also makes sense why that figure is centered in the photograph, as if the photographer were framing the shot around him.

AnsonsColtsCloseup.jpg


I love a good research project!
 

gracecollector

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
6,559
215
Lake in the Hills, IL
Re: Rare Cap Anson related postcard find from 1907-08.

Dang, lost a lot of great info in this thread today due to the server snafu. Thanks to all who had contributed.
 

gracecollector

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
6,559
215
Lake in the Hills, IL
Re: Rare Cap Anson related postcard find from 1907-08.

Luckily I had emailed my research to a friend. Reposting here what got deleted for those interested and for archival reasons.

_________________________________________________

Found more great info thanks to a Dorothy at the Marengo Historical Society. She pointed me to this picture in the book "Marengo - The First 100 Years."

AnsonsColtsBook.jpg


The image in my postcard is just a slightly different view of the image in the book, which shows more of the field and less of the crowd. The cars and umbrellas in the stand are in the same locations, so definitely the same game/day. A crowd of 750 looks about right, and would have been a big crowd for the town in those days, suggesting that something special was going on - i.e. Anson visiting. I'm led to believe the date of the game is August 28, 1908. I'll now try to find a newspaper reference to the game. Dorothy was pleased to learn that my postcard showed the score of the game, and that Marengo won 5-4. She confirmed the factory in the background was the Marengo Stove Works as well.

Last part of research was to figure out who made the postcard. Here was the back. It was postally unused but had been pasted into an album for a long period of time. There is not paper loss, just extra paper from the album page sort of creating a frame.

AnsonsColtsBack.jpg


The maker's mark in the upper left-hand corner is partially obscured. I can make out "Cards" in the top part of the circle, "CRETORS" in the middle, and "Elgin, Ill." in the bottom.

I googled Elgin Photographers 1908 and found a nice listing of Elgin photography studios from 1861-1949 here

On the list at the right period is Samuel M. Cretors of 389 Prairie Street. Googling for Samuel Cretors postcard turned up this reference:

AnsonsColtsBack2.jpg


The "handwriting" - done by scratching the negative with a thin steel point - matches well.

So good to know exactly who made it and that his photo postcards were not very widely distributed.

FCB member ftw also pointed out that the AZO stamp block on the back of the postcard can be used to date the card to a range of years by the symbols surrounding it. He pointed out this website:
http://www.playle.com/realphoto/?PHPSESSID=nnoc3sm7lfce7782e2f8tk2hh2

The website also explains the process of RPPC pre-war production and why no more than a few hundred cards could be made at most, but often times much fewer:

"Earlier images were made far less in the RPPC format. Early RPPC cameras only allowed 6 or 12 copies of an image to be made (Kodak 1A camera) or even just one (Personal Brownie Camera). Commercial Photographs would make 12 copies and then use those copies as "contact" negatives to make more copies; as the process was duplicated the original image itself became damaged. At best only a few 100 of an image could be made in this "larger Volume" manner. Not until after WWI did large Volume rotary photo processing machines made RPPC images readily available in 1000s per run."
 

gracecollector

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
6,559
215
Lake in the Hills, IL
Re: Rare Cap Anson related postcard find from 1907-08.

Wow - an amazing night of research. The Marengo Library called and their microfilm machine was fixed, so I headed over to look at the Marengo Republican-News paper from 1907-08. And boy did I hit the jackpot! I was hoping to find at least one small mention of the game. I found not one, not two, but three front-page articles pertaining to the game! Since it was played on a Friday (August 28, 1908 at 2:30pm) and the newspaper was published weekly on Friday morning, there was an article the week before, day of, and week after the game was played. It's hard to relate how big of a star Anson was in Chicago at that time, but he was the Michael Jordan of his day in Chicago sports, so for a little farm town to host his semi-pro team, it was rightly billed as the "Greatest Game in Marengo Base Ball History." Can't believe the level of detail I can put into viewing my postcard now. Only bad news was that Anson was playing first base that day, so he's probably not pictured on my card.

My photocopies from the microfilm are not very good quality, so I painstakingly typed out all three articles exactly as they were published. Reading through them takes you a step back in time! Long read, but enjoy!

AnsonsColts.jpg


______________________________________________________________________

Marengo Republican-News
Friday, August 21, 1908
Page 1


ANSON’S COLTS ARE COMING
Greatest Game in Marengo Base Ball History Will Be Played Friday, August 28th.

The greatest sporting event ever pulled off in Marengo will take place at the Athletic Assn. Park next Friday afternoon, August 28, when Capt. Adrain C. Anson’s Colts of Chicago meet the Marengo Athletics in a game of base ball which the Athletics are going to make a mighty effort to win.

Anson’s Colts are one of the fastest teams in the Chicago City League, and if the boys are defeated, it will be no disgrace and while our local fans hardly expect the Athletics to win, they know they will be “game” and die hard and should they happen to win, there will be great rejoicing in Marengo. Every local fan should help the Athletics by good, steady, loyal rooting.

Capt. Anson arrives on the 1 p. m. train bringing 12 men including his son-in-law, Mr. Carroll E. Cherry, who is secretary and manager of the club. The game will be called promptly at 2:30 p. m. and the line up is as follows:

ANSON’S COLTS
Walter Eckersall, rf.
Andrews, cf.
Rodesy, 2b.
Captain Anson, 1b.
Choninard, lf.
Kennedy, 3b.
Gretz, ss.
Smith, c.
Jack Bradshaw, or Ed. Almquist, p.
Bradshaw struck out fifteen of the crack Leland Giants in a game recently.

ATHLETICS
“Beldie” Hill, 1b.
Wayland Patrick, 2b.
F. A. McCarthy, c.
Howard Patrick, lf.
“Red” Malone, ss.
Melvin Adams, 3b.
C. Kremer or “Fuzzy” Baughmann, p.
Ray Powers, rf.
Harry Patrick, cf.

McGraw, the celebrated Northern League Umpire, has been engaged to umpire the Anson game. McGraw is one of the best in the business and always popular with the crowd as well as the players.

Anticipating a record breaking attendance, the Association has engaged competent and reliable men to maintain good order and while good-natured rooting will be encouraged, no rowdyism will be tolerated, and ladies may be assured that their presence is desired and appreciated and that they can witness a high grade athletic exhibition with a great deal of pleasure and no regret.

Marengo Republican-News
Friday, August 28, 1908
Page 1


LARGE CROWD WILL BE HERE
Nothing But Bad Weather Will Prevent Friday Being Greatest Base Ball Day in Marengo.

It looks now as though the greatest crowd ever assembled to witness a baseball game would gather at Athletic Assn. Park this Friday afternoon to see the Athletics play Anson’s Colts. It is said that in addition to the big bunch that is coming from Belvidere, the “Knight for a Day” company, numbering some sixty people, will be down to the game. Reports from Garden Prairie, Union and Huntley indicate that these towns will be practically depopulated of baseball fans that day, all coming to see the big game, and town and the country surrounding are making their plans to witness this exhibition of the National game. The banks and business houses of Marengo will close from 2:30 to 5:00 p. m. so that no one may be deprived of the privilege of enjoying the event.

Capt. Anson has a good many acquaintances and admirers among the old time baseball players hereabouts who will take advantage of this opportunity to shake hands with him. Every arrangement has been completed and perfected for a high grade contest.

For the benefit of the “form sheet student” we give a condensed summary of the “past performances” of the members of the Athletics, and it will be seen by a perusal thereof that they are entitled to recognition from any semipro team playing baseball.

Our catcher, Frank A. McCarthy, gained an enviable reputation as an all-round player at the Notre Dame University, excelling as a catcher and in ability to hit the ball hard. He is practicing law in Elgin and incidentally has played base ball on Elgin’s best team for the past two seasons. Arthur (Beldie) Hill was a bright on the University of Illinois team of ’05-06, played for Pueblo in the Western League last season and is our own first baseman this season, is a crack pinch hitter and puts more ginger into the game than the rest of the players combined. Charlie Kremer was one of the University of Iowa star pitchers and after graduating there, played a season in the Southern Michigan League. He is always “in the game,” accepting many fielding chances that the average pitcher would dodge and is an exception among ball “twirlers” a reliable “sticker.” McCarthy, Hill and Kremer are a host in themselves and in some of the games played here this season, have proven to be an iron triangle almost impossible to break. Our short-stop, “Red” Malone played short stop last season for Oshkosh in the Wisconsin-Illinois League, is playing 3rd base for the Aurora’s this season and is one of their best “stickers.” Howard Patrick, captain of the Athletics, played the season of ’06 with an Ohio team and met the best teams of the Ky.-Ill.-Tenn (K. I. T. League) is a reliable all-round player and the best hitter on the team. Wayland Patrick played on the University of Chicago ’04-05 team, has had a good deal of experience in the game and is rated a sure hitter. Ray Powers was a member of one of the swiftest high school teams of Chicago, has faced some of the best pitchers of the City League and is good with the stick. Melvin Adams has played for a number of years, principally on local teams, is a brilliant player at 3rd and is seen running the bases as often as any of them. Harry Patrick, the youngest members of the team, possibly excepting Ray Powers, has played center field without an error this season and the rooters have grown accustomed to feel that any ball soaring in Harry’s territory is a “sure out.”

The next game scheduled at Assn. Park comes on Wednesday September 3, and should be of more than common interest, for then the Athletics meet the Stars of Carpenterville and Dundee, the team that trimmed the Athletics 8 to 3 on August 7. Our boys will make a mighty effort to redeem that defeat, and the Stars, who are immensely elated over the victory of August 7, will try their best to get it all over the Athletics again. Will they? Well, let’s go to the game and see.

Marengo Republican-News
Friday, September 4, 1908
Page 1


ANSONS ALSO MET DEFEATVeteran Ball Player’s Colts Were Unable to Take Game from Sturdy Athletics.

Captain Anson and his frisky colts pranced into Marengo last Friday afternoon with the sole purpose of kicking the life out of the Marengo Athletics in a contest on the base ball diamond. They started in on the job as though they would make short work of it, but our boys were only giving them a little play rope so they could scamper about, and then the lariat was drawn taut and the life choked out of the fractious animals.

Everybody has heard of Capt. Anson, the veteran ball player, who is looked upon with awe and admiration by the base ball fans and is a real hero in the eyes of the young bugs. When arrangements were concluded for a game between his team and the local nine, the business houses agreed to close for a couple of hours and make the occasion in the nature of a holiday. As a result, there was a large crowd in attendance, many being present from the adjoining towns.

The visitors were first to bat, the first two men striking out and the third man out, pitcher to first baseman.

The home team was retired in one, two, three order in their half.

In the second, Anson was out, third to first, Kennedy singled, Gertz flied out, Schwartz made a two bagger on which Kennedy was allowed to score by the umpire although he was out by several feet, as was acknowledged by the visitors after the game. Smith’s out retired the side.

For the home team, Wayland Patrick made a pretty single, but the next three men were unable to bring him home.

In the third the visitors got busy and it looked as though they had our boys’ “grogg.” Wilhout singled reached second on a wild throw. Eckersall shot a hot one to the infield that looked like an easy out, but the throw to first was high and he was safe. Andrews hit a beauty that landed him on second and scored the other two runners, after Vick flied out, Anson stung one to the outer field that scored Andrews, the next man was an easy out.

This made a total of four runs which looked like so many mountains the way the visitors were retiring our boys, but the latter came to bat with blood in their eye, and determined that the score should look different. Powers was given a base on balls, but was forced at second by Harry Patrick, who reached first in safety. Malone flied out. Hill hit safely. McCarthy then came to bat and in answer to the wild cries for a home run, hit the ball over the fence, clearly a home run, but the umpire would only allow him two bases. After a great deal of jangling, McCarthy went back to second, Hill to third, Patrick scoring. Wayland Patrick then won a place in the hall of fame by cracking out a corking double that scored Hill and McCarthy. Adams stung a Texas leaguer over shortstop, who made a sensational running catch, retiring the side after three men had scored.

Kremer then settled down to business and with the brilliant support of his teammates, sewed up the game so tight that the visitors never had a chance to score again. After clamping down the lid on the Colts, our boys got busy in the fifth, when Malone hit one safely and was sacrificed to second by Hill. McCarthy was out on an infield hit. W. Patrick was given a base on balls. Adams made a hit to third that should have been an easy out at first, but he tried to tag Wayland Patrick, who scampered back to second safely, Malone scoring on the play. Kremer biffed one for two bases, scoring Patrick with what proved the winning run, the home team being unable to get another man across the home plate.

This proved to be one of the most scientic ball games ever played here, and when victory perched on the banner of the home team, enthusiasm ran high, all feeling that Marengo had a ball team that the town should well feel proud of. Following is the score by innings:

Marengo…… 0 0 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 – 5
Colts………… 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 4

Marengo secured 11 hits, and the Colts 6.

Kremer struck out 7, Wilhout 3, Schwartz 5.

Manager Samter wears a smile that won’t come off.

All our boys played mighty fine ball and deserve all the good words said about them.

Kremer pitched his best game of the year at this contest, and was like an ice berg when the opposing team threatened to score, and was waster of the situation all through except in the third, when the visitors managed to bunch their hits.

Wayland Patrick was king of the batsmen that day, securing three hits and a base on balls, making a perfect average. Besides that, his bit of jockeying when he got the third baseman to try to tag him out on the base line, letting a man score and the batter to reach first, then getting back on second base himself, was heady ball playing and helped a lot in winning the game.

ansonnewspaper.jpg
 

superbowl32

New member
Dec 4, 2022
2
0
Colorado
Re: Rare Cap Anson related postcard find from 1907-08.

Luckily I had emailed my research to a friend. Reposting here what got deleted for those interested and for archival reasons.

_________________________________________________

Found more great info thanks to a Dorothy at the Marengo Historical Society. She pointed me to this picture in the book "Marengo - The First 100 Years."

AnsonsColtsBook.jpg

The image in my postcard is just a slightly different view of the image in the book, which shows more of the field and less of the crowd. The cars and umbrellas in the stand are in the same locations, so definitely the same game/day. A crowd of 750 looks about right, and would have been a big crowd for the town in those days, suggesting that something special was going on - i.e. Anson visiting. I'm led to believe the date of the game is August 28, 1908. I'll now try to find a newspaper reference to the game. Dorothy was pleased to learn that my postcard showed the score of the game, and that Marengo won 5-4. She confirmed the factory in the background was the Marengo Stove Works as well.

Last part of research was to figure out who made the postcard. Here was the back. It was postally unused but had been pasted into an album for a long period of time. There is not paper loss, just extra paper from the album page sort of creating a frame.

AnsonsColtsBack.jpg

The maker's mark in the upper left-hand corner is partially obscured. I can make out "Cards" in the top part of the circle, "CRETORS" in the middle, and "Elgin, Ill." in the bottom.

I googled Elgin Photographers 1908 and found a nice listing of Elgin photography studios from 1861-1949 here

On the list at the right period is Samuel M. Cretors of 389 Prairie Street. Googling for Samuel Cretors postcard turned up this reference:

AnsonsColtsBack2.jpg

The "handwriting" - done by scratching the negative with a thin steel point - matches well.

So good to know exactly who made it and that his photo postcards were not very widely distributed.

FCB member ftw also pointed out that the AZO stamp block on the back of the postcard can be used to date the card to a range of years by the symbols surrounding it. He pointed out this website:
http://www.playle.com/realphoto/?PHPSESSID=nnoc3sm7lfce7782e2f8tk2hh2

The website also explains the process of RPPC pre-war production and why no more than a few hundred cards could be made at most, but often times much fewer:

"Earlier images were made far less in the RPPC format. Early RPPC cameras only allowed 6 or 12 copies of an image to be made (Kodak 1A camera) or even just one (Personal Brownie Camera). Commercial Photographs would make 12 copies and then use those copies as "contact" negatives to make more copies; as the process was duplicated the original image itself became damaged. At best only a few 100 of an image could be made in this "larger Volume" manner. Not until after WWI did large Volume rotary photo processing machines made RPPC images readily available in 1000s per run."
 

Attachments

  • $_57.PNG
    $_57.PNG
    709.8 KB · Views: 9

Members online

Latest posts

Top