Another T209 Mystery: Mr. Armstrong?

[sgbernard]

I've loved the two T209 posts, thought I would put a question I had to the experts here. I don't have the ACC, so this may be a simple question, but the SGC registry lists only one Armstrong in the T209 II set. This, I think, is the same Charles Armstrong who played for Wilson in 1909:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/mi...d=armstr001cha

The problem is, I've found a second (uncatalogued?) T209 II Armstrong from Norfolk. Now, Armstrong is not an uncommon name, but in 1909, baseball reference doesn't list an Armstrong playing on the Norfolk Tars:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/mi...m.cgi?id=27157

What's even odder, our Mr. Charles Armstrong played for Norfolk two years prior, in 1907.
Could this be the same man, and does this mean that T209 was released over a few years? Or is this a mystery man, and then who is he?

I've put scans of all three cards. The T209 I and the T209 II Norfolk are mine, sorry for the crappy scans. Somebody has got to have a better scan of the T209 I; that's about the ugliest T209 I that I own. The T209 II scan is not mine, but was posted a while ago in a thread on this board by a board member. I'm not sure, though, who the actual card belongs to.

Thoughts?

[sb1]

You'll also notice that the Armstrong, Wilson type 2 has the text below the photo and not imbedded. I believe I had one card like this before selling out. Pretty sure it was not Armstrong? This type 2 Armstrong is definitely the same player as the type 1 shown. The Norfolk player does not appear to be the same person.

Scott

[mzm55]

Seth,

The Norfolk T209-2 card of Armstrong is new to me. When we talked the other day, and I referenced your Armstrong card, I was thinking it was the Wilson example. This is the first time i've seen or heard of a type 2 Armstrong for the Norfolk Tars. Both players, in my opinion are Charles Armstrong. Charles Armstrong played with the Norfolk Tars in 1907 and then with Wilson in 1909 and 1910. It's possible that prior to the start of the 1910 season, Armstrong, for whatever reason, was with Norfolk and happened to be around the day photos were taken. Then, he went back to Wilson, again for an unknown reason. The T209-2 set is from 1910 and wasn't issue over multiple years. Likewise, Armstrong's photo on the Norfolk card was not done in 1907.

Scott,

Both Lane and Armstrong of the Wilson Tobacconists (what a perfect name) appear in the T209-2 set with their captions not embedded in the card's actual photo but slightly underneath.

[sgbernard]

Zach, I got the Armstrong (Wilson) picture from one of your old posts. The other thing, as you mentioned, that sets it apart is the border-line, which makes it look more like an M101 or a later candy issue than a T209. As for my Armstrong (Norfolk) I got it in a trade with a board member a few years ago, not sure where it came from before that.

I'm also inclined to think it's the same guy in both T209 IIs as well: he has the same slant of shoulder and the same sticking-out ears with an angular jaw. It's admittedly hard to tell. Of course, he could have been in Norfolk on day, Wilson the next, but you've got to admit that's a bit strange: first, off, I'd buy it if it were Rocky Mount and Wilson, but those two places aren't just next door. But also, he's wearing two different uniforms: he would have had his Wilson uniform from the last year, why did he bother to wear a Norfolk uniform just when the photo op guy came around?

So, I guess the first question remains: is that an uncatalogued Armstrong? Has anyone else seen the Norfolk variation?

[tedzan]

Armstrong played the outfield for Wilson of the Eastern Carolina League in 1909.

My 1909 Reach Guide doesn't have any info on him for 1908.







TED Z

[sgbernard]

Ted, thanks, that's such a prettier card when it hasn't been tacked to a dart board in bright sunlight for 80 years! Want to trade