Help identify this ball player

[bmarlowe1]

Originally Posted by Cozumeleno

I don't know I'm in the Matty camp, but if the bottom is a reference to his annual salary, how many players earned that during the time period? And if not salary, what else could the $10,000 be referencing?

Several above posters explained this very well - please read.

If the ear shape does not match, it can't possibly be Mathewson. Even though Kawika compared the left vs. right ears - there are many Mathewson photos from both sides. Comparing the correct side yields the same result. Nose/nostrils are also wrong.

[Cozumeleno]

Originally Posted by bmarlowe1

Several above posters explained this very well - please read.

If the ear shape does not match, it can't possibly be Mathewson. Even though Kawika compared the left vs. right ears - there are many Mathewson photos from both sides. Comparing the correct side yields the same result. Nose/nostrils are also wrong.

I did read all of the posts - my question wasn't if it was Mathewson as I'm not insinuating that it is. Rather, I was asking specifically about the $10,000 reference.

[bmarlowe1]

Originally Posted by Cozumeleno

I did read all of the posts - my question wasn't if it was Mathewson as I'm not insinuating that it is. Rather, I was asking specifically about the $10,000 reference.

Several earlier posts specifically addressed that - #11 and #12, as well as the subsequent post #23.

[slidekellyslide]

Lajoie, Cobb, Wagner and Matty were all making $10,000 a year in 1910, this was a big deal in the news.

[RColeman]

There is an article published July 15, 1906 in the Rockford Morning Star that identifies both Christy Mathewson and Willie Keeler of New York baseball teams as recipients of $10,000 a year salary. Keeler started receiving his in 1903. It would be quite a coincidence if two random dopplegangers of baseball greats posed for a novelty keepsake and these examples were discussed and compared over a hundred years later. Please let me know if you decide to part with your novelty keepsake. It should receive a place of honor within your already impressive collection. For the record, the Keeler caricature is holding a bat and it states "$10,000 a year" to the lower left of him. I will need to upload a full version later if there is any interest.

[bravos4evr]

It appears to me to be a novelty postcard that is intended to make the subject appear as a "$10,000 ball player"

[slidekellyslide]

I guarantee this is just a novelty postcard. Some hot shot kid wanted his mug on a ballplayer as a gag.

[bgar3]

I believe King Kelly was known as the 10000 dollar player. This, of course in not Kelly.