Questions about Rube Walberg photo
 

Purchased this photo and have two questions...

1929 photo of Walberg of the Philadelphia Athletics...why does the ball cap have a "B"?

And on the reverse, what is written directly below the "George Walberg" notation?

http://rmyauctions.com//LotDetail.as...entoryid=13895

Not sure about the B, but is appears to say Athletics below the name on the back.

Jeff

Brian & Jeff,
Rube Walberg played for the Boston Red Sox after his stint with the A's.

The photo, which obviously originated during his time with the A's, was probably used for a Red Sox head and shoulders shot, perhaps announcing his move to the BoSox.

His hat with the "B" on it looks to be added later upon close inspection. This process was very common, as I have seen it with other photos, FWIW....

I hope this helps...

Possibly an editor wanted to use this photo when Rube was playing for the Red Sox so he had an artist cover the Athletics cap with a grease pen and hand draw a B for Boston and then crop the photo from shoulders up so you didn't see the A's on the chest.

** Ooops, Mr Garner beat me to it.

Thanks for the replies guys

The Red Sox connection is pretty solid, but a second theory is that Walberg appeared for a few games with the semi-pro Brooklyn Bushwicks. One of their various caps over the years looked like the "B" the graphic artist painted on the photo. I am away on business so I can't check my library but I seem to remember a newspaper piece about Walberg and some of the A's playing for or against the Bushwicks in 1932, Many of the big stars, especially world series participants, would make an appearance at Dexter Park to play with or against the Bushwicks from the 1920's through WWII.