[Lordstan]

Yanks who wore number 17 from 1929-1940
1929 Fred Heimach
1930 - 31 Ed Wells
1932 Hank Johnson & Danny MacFayden
1933 - 34 Danny MacFayden
1935 - 36 Jumbo Brown
1937 no one
1938 - 39 Tommy Henrich
1939 Jake Powell
1940 Jake Powell

It's interesting that form 1929 -1938 all the people who wore num 17 were pitchers.
Not sure if this info helps with IDing the slider. It is poss for the 4th place hitter to be sliding into home with the 9th place hitter on deck, so it doesn't rule out being a pitcher.

Not sure.

I just did notice the catcher reminds me a little of the top half of Cochrane's head.