Pottsville AC/Maroons Baseball/Football Estate Auction find
 

Hey guys,

I had my first very nice find in a while at an estate auction this weekend. I didn't want to bog down the July pickup thread with this post, since I have a bunch of photos. I hit an estate auction about 2 hours from my house these weekend, and eluckily my 4 hour drive was rewarded. I know there would be some sports stuff there with Pottsville content, and was hoping to come across some Pottsville Maroons items. There was a ton (which I got mostly all of) of epehmera at the auction that came from the estate of the Pottsville AC/Baseball clubs business manager. 99% of the items pertained to the baseball team, with dates ranging from 1896 to 1928, but I was thrilled to come across a 1921 Pottsville Maroons cabinet photograph in the group. 1921 actually predates the name Maroons, as well as their joining the NFL, but still pretty neat. The football team was formed in 1920, became the maroons in 24, and joined the NFL in 25. The cabinet photo has "Pottsville" 1921 written on the negative at the lower left portion of the image. Among the pieces of ephemera I picked up include:
a 19th century Spalding scorebook which amazingly has scored games from 1896 all the way through 1928 - includes several scored games against the 1896 Philadelphia Athletics - who were a minor league at that time. The scorebook has major condition issues.
a bunch of photos, including the Pottsville AC football team photo.
2 bound leather books containing revenue, players pay, expenses, and tickets to every one of their baseball games for the years 1919 and 1920. Inside the 1919 book, are a bunch of cancelled checks signed by the players and the business manager. One of the my favorite parts of these books is the pages for their expenses, which includes bats, uniforms, balls, etc. One line on the bat listing reads - 1 bat Wagner 1.00 - perhaps a Honus decal bat?
A larger ledger containing scores of the games from the mid to late 20s for the baseball team.
Personal calender books from around 1914 to 1924 that detail the games played, scores, etc.
Transcript of meetings for the managers of the Industrial Baseball League and other ephemera about the league.
Banking slips and Checks pertaining the Pottsville Athletic Club
A bunch of ephemera to a baseball team known as the Pottsville Field Club from 1914 to 1915
Real photo baseball and football postcards
and much more, I really haven't got a chance to go through everything yet.

Here are some photos:
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...21Maroons2.jpg
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...21Maroons3.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...paldingSB1.jpg
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...paldingSB2.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...enueChecks.jpg
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...ic/expense.jpg
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n.../1919book2.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...vic/Ledger.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...alBBleague.jpg
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...leACchecks.jpg

Sorry for the lengthy post and all the photos. Just wanted to share.

Finding vintage material in the context of an estate auction means you are the first collector to ever own them! That's a great find, and your long trip was well rewarded.

great stuff. I love collections like this.

WOW! Keith, you make some of the most incredible finds....Congrats!

By chance is there anything in the stuff pertaining to a game against the Nebraska Indians?

Pottsville
 

Thanks Guys,
And Dan, no there is nothing that I have seen that pertains to the Nebraska Indians. If I come across anything though, I will be sure to you let you know.