View Single Post
  #23  
Old 04-22-2015, 02:38 PM
z28jd's Avatar
z28jd z28jd is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,052
Default

I think the logical explanation for "J.J." being on the card is that Josh Clarke was his teammate in 1909, so either Clarke or J. Clarke wouldn't have told them apart. There are no nicknames on any of the cards, so I don't know why he would be different. PSA labels the cards how people are best known and since no one 106 years ago was PC, we have strange nicknames from the set you wouldn't hear now. You can't change how a person WAS known 100+ years after the fact.

BTW, if people want to get technical about nicknames, I think Mordecai Brown was better known as Miner Brown back then, because that is how he is often referred to in the papers. At least that is what I've seen from reading too many newspapers from that era. Not sure when Three Fingers became his accepted name, but it could just be because it stands out more than "Miner", but just like One Arm Daily and all the players nicknamed Dummy, they were being made fun of for their handicap.

I don't think anyone should try to change them now since now it isn't accepted behavior, that would just be lying to yourself about the past.
__________________
Check out my two newest books. One covers the life and baseball career of Dots Miller, who was mentored by Honus Wagner as a rookie for the 1909 Pirates, then became a mentor for a young Rogers Hornsby. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CV633PNT The other has 13 short stories of players who were with the Pittsburgh Pirates during the regular season, but never played in a game for the team https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CY574YNS
Reply With Quote