Help Identifying Issue
 

I bought this cabinet photo recently. It measures 5.5 x 8.25, and came in a fancy glassine sleeve with an embossed paper cover. Looks like a Detroit player? Any help most appreciated.

I'd guess Heinie Beckendorf... but I lack the photographic expertise, and the ear analysis, both of which are necessary to say for sure. In a while the ear experts will chime in. Nice cabinet.

easy question...
 

I am sure you would have said but I have to ask, is there any company name on the embossing or the back of the cabinet? From the scan it just looks like a very nice generic cabinet. Great photo too...

While Beckendorf was a catcher I don't think it's him.

Compare:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/pl...eckehe01.shtml

Don't think this Beckendorf Dietsche adds anything to the question but...

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g5...Beckendorf.jpg

Cabinet photo
 

Thanks for the input thus far. I couldn't find any writing on the back or the cover. The embossing is a generic-looking coat of arms on the cover.

I found one other photo of Beckendorf:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/pl...eckehe01.shtml

Anybody else think it is him? He played a few games for Detroit in 1909-1910.

It for sure is not Beckendorf - see comparison to 3 photos of Beckendorf below on right. Also - the Det AL uniform for his time period should have a dark collar. Also - the "D" is actually a bit different than the one in the Dietsche photo that Steve Murray posted.

3rd photo in looks like Jim Thome.

I agree, that's not Beckendorf. It was just a guess... The face looks familiar, as in I think I've seen that on a card. Maybe it is someone who had the catcher's mitt that day, but we'd think of him as playing a different position.

Frank - I really don't think it's a Det AL uniform - the collar is wrong and the D isn't quite right. The D from the cabinet is below left, the D from a 1909 Det AL uniform is below right. The curve at the bottom of the letter is different.

1913?
 

Thanks for the input, especially you Mark. You're the best at this.

Here's a photo of Cobb from 1913. In 1912-13 the Tigers had the light collars. Looking at the Fatima 1913 card and some other photos, it looks like the bottom of the old english 'D' is a bit flatter on some players. So perhaps the player is from 1912-13.

Wally Pipp?
 

Any chance it could be a young Wally Pipp? He played 12 games as a rookie for Detroit in 1913.

It's true that the TIgers had white collars in 1912-1913, but the D in your photo is still not quite right. For sure he is not Wally Pipp, nor is he any rostered player who caught for Det in those years.