Let’s see some collections of your local ball players from the town you live in

[whitehse]

My wife and I moved from Wisconsin to a small Pennsylvania town four months ago putting us within 45 minutes of the home of the Little League World Series and the final resting place of Christy Mathewson at Bucknell University As we drove around our new home town yesterday we stumbled on a small park with a well kept Little League field within it. I pulled up closer to see the name of the park and saw it the name of the field was Bressler Field, named for former resident Rube Bressler. I knew that name rung a bell with me not just from the world of card collecting but I just couldn’t place it. A quick Google search reminded me that Mr. Bressler was one of the players interviewed in the awesome Glory Of Their Times book by Laurence Ritter. I had to grab my copy of that book a reread his section which drove me down a rabbit hole of starting to read Glory all over again. I may have to dip my toes into pre-war again and do some collecting of my fellow long resident who is long gone but obviously not forgotten.

I am curious to know if others are collecting players who, though long, used to live in their town.

[Vintagedeputy]

Not specifically collecting him, but here’s a 1958 house building contract signed by local Richmond, Va. star and Phillies Whiz Kid Granny Hamner and his wife.

[Ludington1]

My son and I are collecting Indianapolis pre-war baseball stuff. We have the five T206 cards and here’s our current N172 Old Judge cards.

[Jason Carota]

Dick Conway and Marty Sullivan are from my hometown of Lowell, Massachusetts:

[DHogan]

I've lived in Worcester Mass. most of my life. I've known about the baseball team call the Worcester for the longest time. I found out there are four cards from the from the team as part of the Old Judge N172 set. One that I could afford popped up on Net54 a few weeks ago thanks to Webster.

The Worcester's only played for a few years in the early 1880's. They had the first perfect game. And we the first professional team to play in Cuba. Their ball field was at the Worcester Agricultural Fair Grounds. Which is long gone. There are 3 decker houses built on it. Three decker houses are all wood apartments built one of top of the others. And are unique to New England

[Vintagedeputy]

Originally Posted by DHogan

I've lived in Worcester Mass. most of my life. I've known about the baseball team call the Worcester for the longest time. I found out there are four cards from the from the team as part of the Old Judge N172 set. One that I could afford popped up on Net54 a few weeks ago thanks to Webster.

The Worcester's only played for a few years in the early 1880's. They had the first perfect game. And we the first professional team to play in Cuba. Their ball field was at the Worcester Agricultural Fair Grounds. Which is long gone. There are 3 decker houses built on it. Three decker houses are all wood apartments built one of top of the others. And are unique to New England

Your photo looked so small, I just had to do it justice by making it bigger.

[DHogan]

Originally Posted by Vintagedeputy

Your photo looked so small, I just had to do it justice by making it bigger.

Jim,

I appreciate the help with the scan.

Dave

[kkkkandp]

The biggest local hero in the Long Beach Island (NJ) surrounding area is Roger Cramer, who was born on the island in Beach Haven. Over his 20-year career he played center field for four different teams; made 5 All-Star teams; amassed 2,705 hits and a lifetime batting average of .296; was on a World Series-winning team (for which he batted at a .379 clip); and earned the nickname "Flit" (an old-time bug killing spray) for his ability to turn flies into outs.

He lived his life out (and is buried) in Stafford Township (NJ) on the adjacent mainland and has several landmarks named after him.

[Spike]

I keep track of guys born or buried here in Cambridge. The Boston popularity of versatile, multi-sport Harvard star William Clarence Matthews (1905) started rumors a pro team would sign him to break MLB's color line, something that instead took another 40 years. It's known that Matthews _did_ play for some independent league baseball teams in New England, a modest color line break, if less remembered today. He's buried in Cambridge Cemetery, not far from HOFers Tim Keefe, John Clarkson, and other former players from the Clarkson family. I drafted this marker in Cambridge's city style that is wending its way through the municipal consideration process. (No known prewar cards of Matthews exist; his modern cards are based on that same "standing with glove" photo.)

[Jay Wolt]

Eddie Plank was born in Gettysburg in 1875 (150 years ago) & died there in 1926
That's just a short drive from where I live.
He's buried in Evergreen Cemetery next to the Soldiers Cemetery
There's a plaque in town where he had his car dealership & a PA Historical plaque
by his house, across from Gettysburg College

[bgar3]

In college we played at Ernie Shore field, also home to minor league teams. After his playing career. He served as sheriff of Forsyth County NC. They took away his perfect game credit some years ago.

[Brent G.]

There's a lot happening here, but this is my space dedicated to Indianapolis' baseball history, much of which came from Net54 connections. Oscar Charleston is the best player from Indy ... but that's out of my price range. Most interesting name from Indy — easily Peek-A-Boo Veach. Edd Roush and George Kaiserling below were from Indiana; Frank Sigafoos and John Riddle lived there after their careers.

If anyone is sitting on an Indianapolis Gypsy Queen that you can live without, please PM!

[stlcardsfan]

This is my lifelong best friend's nephew Austin Allen. He is originally from O'Fallon, IL, our hometown and I know both of his parents well. Austin was a left handed hitting catcher and had a cup of coffee (57 games) with the Padres and A's in the bigs. He was a 4th round pick of the Padres in 2015 and had a very successful minor league career. He finally gave up his dream this summer and retired from pro ball. It was a blast to follow his career over the years.

[jayshum]

I'm not aware of any players from where I grew up - Havertown, PA which is a suburb of Philadelphia - but the 1948 Swell Sports Thrills set was printed there according to what's on the back of the cards.

[Michael B]

Originally Posted by DHogan

I've lived in Worcester Mass. most of my life. I've known about the baseball team call the Worcester for the longest time. I found out there are four cards from the from the team as part of the Old Judge N172 set. One that I could afford popped up on Net54 a few weeks ago thanks to Webster.

The Worcester's only played for a few years in the early 1880's. They had the first perfect game. And we the first professional team to play in Cuba. Their ball field was at the Worcester Agricultural Fair Grounds. Which is long gone. There are 3 decker houses built on it. Three decker houses are all wood apartments built one of top of the others. And are unique to New England

At least a few ballplayers came from Worcester. My former boss, an attorney, was named after Jack Barry. When I worked in Worcester at the courthouse one of the women I knew was the mother of Tanyon Sturtze.

[JJ McGraw]

The town I’ve called home for almost 50 years has a rich baseball history, both 19th and 20th century and is still alive today as the Victoria Generals…..still playing in the refurbished 1947 ball park now called Riverside Stadium.
In 1959, the Victoria Rosebuds (AA) finished that year as the Texas League Champions. They had quite an impressive array of past and future major leaguers.
Pete Reiser (aka Pistol Pete), who Sporting News named in 1959 Minor League Manager of the Year, was the 1941 NL Batting Champion while playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He also played for the Boston Braves, Pirates and the Indians.
Carl Warwick , in his major league career, set a record in the 1964 World Series in his first four plate appearances as a pinch hitter.
Frank Howard was the 1960 NL ROY and AL HR King.
Larry Burright played 159 games for LA and the NY Mets from 1962-1964.
As I have posted a few times, over the years I have collected any Rosebuds items I can. This past weekend , I was lucky enough to win not only a 1950’s Rosebud Pennant, but a 20 Signature Ball from the 1959 season , with all of the above players signatures on there and many more. So, 1959 was certainly a banner year for baseball in Victoria, Texas…..and our new team, the Generals , ain’t have bad either.

[ValKehl]

I live in Manassas, VA, a distant Northern Virginia suburb of Washington, DC. The only player I know of from Manassas is Wilmer Fields, who played several years with the Homestead Grays of the Negro National League. Fields was a good pitcher who also played other positions, mostly the outfield.

Although not well known today, Fields was highly regarded during his playing days. This is from his SABR biography: "In spite of this tough end to the 1946 season, Fields had pitched so well during the year that he had received the first of six offers from major-league teams that desired his services. The Brooklyn Dodgers had offered Fields a contract to play for the Montreal Royals, their Triple-A affiliate, for which Jackie Robinson played during 1946, his first season in Organized Baseball. Fields turned down the offer. Fields’s talent continued to be noticed and, as the integration of baseball progressed, he received numerous contract offers; however, he turned them all down. Over the next several years, he declined offers from the New York Yankees (1948), Washington Senators (1949), Philadelphia Athletics (1951), St. Louis Browns (1952), and Detroit Tigers (1955). In his autobiography, Fields provided the rationale for what seemed to many people to be a peculiar decision." To learn why Fields declined these MLB offers, I encourage the reading of his most interesting SABR bio: https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/Wilmer-Fields/

Very few cards of Wilmer Fields were issued during his playing days. The only card of his that I have is this 1952 Parkhurst Frostade card, the only year Fields played (as an outfielder) for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League:

[whitehse]

I am loving these stories! Thank you to everyone who has shared so far.

This is what collecting is all about and what helps to make this hobby so awesome.

[Eggoman]

Rojek F.jpg

Stan was born, raised, and died in North Tonawanda, NY - where I grew up!

He spent several seasons with the Brooklyn Dodgers before and after Service in WW II. He was a Dodger during the 1947 World Series, but did not get an AB, I don't think.

He had brief stints with the Pittsburgh Pirates & St. Louis Browns after being unable to crack the starting line-up as a Middle Infielder for Brooklyn.

Stan ran a Bowling Alley just down the street from me. My Grandpa frequented Rojek Lanes and introduced me to Stan in the 1970s when I was 10-year-old punk-ass kid. Stan even let me wear his Brooklyn Jersey once!

As a young collector, I learned that Stan was on several Topps & Bowman baseball cards others - I WAS IN AWE!

I KNEW SOMEONE WHO WAS ON A BUBBLE GUM CARD!

Let's see... He played with Jackie in 1947, was on a 1952 Topps Card, AND was included in The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading, and Bubblegum Book - THAT'S not too shabby in my books!

[Casey2296]

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The reason I collect Harry Hooper and Frank Arellanes.

Arellanes was born in Santa Cruz in 1882 and played for the Red Sox during the 1908 season with a 4 and 3 record and a 1.82 ERA in eight starts.

Harry Hooper, HOFer that played for the Red Sox and was the postmaster in Capitola Ca for 24 years after retirement and died in Santa Cruz, he is buried within walking distance of my home.
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[Jay Wolt]

Since we live so close to Chambersburg & St Thomas PA
I took the wife on a 30 minute trip to visit Nellie Fox's hometown.
I had a nice signed postcard, & ash tray from his bowling alley & wanted to see if its still there.
Glad to say it was
Nellie died young & made it to the Hall Of Fame decades after he passed.







His sign in his hometown, his PA Historical plaque & the home he lived in

[rats60]

When I first joined Net 54 a member posted a t206 of Fred Snodgrass with the letter and envelope that he sent the card in. I realized that I grew up on the same street that Fred Snodgrass lived on.

As for where I live now, I have been working on a run of this guy's cards.

[DrSatanis]

My hometown's one and only claim to fame besides myself? Everett Scott.

* 12 seasons (1914-26)

* 4 time World Series Champion (1915, 1916, 1918, 1923)

* Captain for both the Red Sox and the Yankees

* Appeared in 1307 consecutive games (Longest streak until Gehrig, to this day its still the 3rd longest streak)

Prior to selling my collection about a decade ago, I had a decent amount of his cards. Now I have 1, and I don't remember off the top of my head which one i kept lol. I really need to make a spreadsheet for his stuff this weekend.

My biggest hang up is how few autographs of him I can find.

Actively listed for sale, I've found 1. But its also signed by Ruth, Cobb, Matthewson, its a literal who's who of baseball for the time period. Way too much money for my blood.

The only other one I've ever seen is a team signed ball that exists in my local museum.