[RUKen]

Originally Posted by Jobu

This photo was discussed here a long time ago:

[*]The players on the bottom row are Del Howard, George Moriarty, and Carl Lundgren. The guy on the top right is Davy Jones
[*]These guys were not on the Brooklyn Bridegrooms together. There is a Chicago Cubs connection, but Howard didn’t join that team until well after 1904.

...1903 is possible, 1904 looks pretty good, but then by 1905 these guys are pretty spread out again. So, I settled on this probably being 1903 or 1904 – and 1904 matches the original description, so that seems like a good bet.

We still have not firmly established the year or the player on the back left.
Given that Del Howard was not in pro ball in 1903, it seem unlikely that he would have been invited to spring training that year so we can probably rule out 1903. However, in 1904 he plays his first season in Omaha, so it is entirely possible that he got a tryout for the Cubs, didn’t make the team that year, and then went to Omaha after being cut. This seems likely given everything else.

Del Howard was with the Cubs in spring training in 1904.

February 6, 1904, edition of Sporting Life: Selee has signed a kid named Dell (sic) Howard, from a little Illinois town. Bob Wicker recommended him, and says that for a beginner Howard is a wonder. He is an outfielder, and is touted as the goods. According to Jim Hart, the lad will be given a fair chance, and may make the team as a utility outfielder.