Black Sox pickups

[Mark]

Originally Posted by ThomasL

Picked up this circa 1940s-50s print of what is labeled the 1920 White Sox, but is the 1919 Sox. The presence of what appears to be Dave Danforth (3rd from left) and Frank Shellenback (6th from left) would date this picture to the 1919 season. While not labeled here is my identification:

L-R
Kid Gleason, Lefty Williams, Dave Danforth, Eddie Collins, Joe Jenkins, Frank Shellenback, Dickie Kerr, Grover Lowdermilk, Ray Schalk, Eddie Cicotte, Reb Russell, Happy Felsch, Shano Collins, ?Chick Gandil?, Eddie Murphy, Fred McMullin, Swede Risberg, Joe Jackson, Hervey McClellan, Nemo Leibold, Buck Weaver, Byrd Lynn

Love that photo. The semii-formal poses are great. The background, with the arches of Comiskey Park, sets it up terrifically.

[Mark]

Aside from a few Joe Jackson, Eddie Collins, and Ray Schalk bats, there are not all that many Black Sox bats in the hobby. So, I offer this Reb Russell bat as a Black Sox piece. Reb's model seems to have been popular with other players: I believe that even after he retired other players would order his model, with his signature, for their own use. But this one is said to match his orders from H&B. True, Reb didn't contribute much to the Sox in 1919. He pitched to a couple of batters with poor results. But he did play for them in 1919!