T206 Southern Leaguer Bill Cranston

[T206Collector]

There are 20 players I cannot find a signature example for in the T206 set. Bill Cranston is one of them, and he is the only one of the 20 who is confirmed to have lived beyond 1944 -- he lived until 1970, which would have had him living to 89 or 90 depending on the source. So a copy of his signature should be available someplace.

The closest I have come is a World War I draft record showing a Bill Cranston, born on August 9 (or 1), 1880, who had a wife named Grace. I have Bill and Grace in several Census records, and even found an old pic of them together. For what it's worth, his 1908 marriage license shows August 22, 1885 as his birthdate.

Census and marriage records show his profession as baseball player. In fact, his 1920 Census report shows him as a professional baseball player living in Nanticoke, PA (which cemetery he was ultimately buried in 50 years later). But the closest WWI draft registration form (which must have been signed two years prior in 1917 or 1918) that I can find shows a Bill and Grace living in Baltimore, where Bill worked as a foreman at Barlett Hayward, a metalworking company.

So I have meaningful doubt that the WWI registration -- the only document that features Bill Cranston's signature -- is the same Bill & Grace Cranston as the one that is obviously him in the 1920 Census or on his marriage license. Pics attached for reference. Anyone have any thoughts as to whether these each show the same couple? Or whether there's a better exemplar for T206 subject Bill Cranston? Help please.










List of 20 Unknown T206 Subject Signatures

Adkins Doc
Barry Shad
Burch Al
Carey Scoops
Cranston Bill
Davidson Paul
Donahue Jiggs
King Frank
McCauley Pat
Miller Molly
Nichols Simon
O'Brien Pete
Phelan Jimmy
Poland Phil
Powers Doc
Reagan Ed
Ryan Ray
Smith Carlos
Violat Juan
White Foley