Help Identifying 1880-1890s Photos

BillyCoxDodgers3B · #1 08-24-2024, 04:51 PM

At least three of these photos apparently have Icebox Chamberlain depicted. Could there be a connection here? Was he on any of the other teams?

The OP is in northern Virginia; Chamberlain died in Baltimore. Very close by. Perhaps an outside shot these were from his estate? Who knows.

Is there any writing on the backs of any of these photos?

BillyCoxDodgers3B · #2 08-24-2024, 04:58 PM

The BHS team photo looks like a bunch of kids. HS has to mean high school. Chamberlain moved to Buffalo when he was very young. Buffalo High School, perhaps?

I dug up some of my old research. Chamberlain stayed in Buffalo until at least 1920, per census records and city directories. He was employed as a mechanic/machinist and sheet metal worker, all in that city.

theshowandme · #3 08-24-2024, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

At least three of these photos apparently have Icebox Chamberlain depicted. Could there be a connection here? Was he on any of the other teams?

The OP is in northern Virginia; Chamberlain died in Baltimore. Very close by. Perhaps an outside shot these were from his estate? Who knows.

Is there any writing on the backs of any of these photos?

There is a connection!

I asked my friend for more info and he tracked it down.

This is pretty funny

prewinter · #4 08-25-2024, 12:29 AM

Here is some information on the Crandall baseball club of Buffalo, 1889.

prewinter · #5 08-25-2024, 01:14 AM

The Louisville Courier-Journal reported on May 5, 1887 that new photographs of the Louisville club were done and on exhibition. This is around the same time that Amos Cross left the club due to illness. It sounds like he never retruned, as he died the following summer of consumption.

So that would suggest this photo was early 1887 perhaps?

BillyCoxDodgers3B · #6 08-25-2024, 06:04 AM

Hilarious! Glad to have made the connection. Be sure to ask for some photos of the backs if there is writing on there.

RUKen · #7 08-25-2024, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prewinter

The Louisville Courier-Journal reported on May 5, 1887 that new photographs of the Louisville club were done and on exhibition. This is around the same time that Amos Cross left the club due to illness. It sounds like he never retruned, as he died the following summer of consumption. So that would suggest this photo was early 1887 perhaps?

If the group photo was taken in 1887, then my IDs of Scott Stratton and Sam Smith cannot be correct.

Edited to add: I found a couple of newspaper articles dated January 1888 that stated that Amos Cross's health was improving, and one of those articles stated that he thought he'd be able to play ball in the coming season. Perhaps he was in spring training, but not as healthy as he had thought?

Edited again to add: It seems that William Veach had signed with St. Paul for the 1888 season, and I'm pretty sure that's him in the middle row. Lave Cross was quoted in March 1888 that his brother Amos' health had worsened again, and that he wouldn't be playing ball.

Edited one last time to add: I've found an image of Joe Neale, who played for Louisville in 1887 but was not with them in the spring or during the season of 1888. That's Neale in the middle of the bottom row, not Stratton. This must be an 1887 image. My next post will have revised IDs.

Neale

RUKen · #8 08-25-2024, 09:00 AM

1887 Louisville Base Ball Club

Top Row (L-R): Amos Cross, Jimmy "Chicken" Wolf, Paul Cook, John Kerins, Lave Cross, Hub Collins, Elton Chamberlain.
Middle Row (L-R): Pete Browning, William Veach, Guy Hecker, John Kelly, Tom "Toad" Ramsey, Bill White, Joe Werrick.
Bottom Row (L-R): Reddy Mack, Joe Neale, Unknown.

prewinter · #9 08-25-2024, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RUKen

1887 Louisville Base Ball Club

Top Row (L-R): Amos Cross, Jimmy "Chicken" Wolf, Paul Cook, John Kerins, Lave Cross, Hub Collins, Elton Chamberlain.
Middle Row (L-R): Pete Browning, William Veach, Guy Hecker, John Kelly, Tom "Toad" Ramsey, Bill White, Joe Werrick.
Bottom Row (L-R): Reddy Mack, Joe Neale, Unknown.

The spring roster for the 1887 club was given in the Louisville Courier-Journal on April 3, 1887. All of the players you identified are listed, with the adition player as (Phil) Reccius, so that would suggest he is the unknown in the right front. I can believe that assignment.

BTW Nice job on the identifications.

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