More photo help...

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by Abravefan11

Thanks Mark. That makes it 1913 then for sure.

Now to just figure out the ballpark.

Small grandstands...think Spring Training. Possibly the ballpark in Marlin Springs, Texas.

[Abravefan11]

I think the photo was taken in April of 1913 at one of the ball parks in the Virginia State League. The Giants played the Richmond Colts the first week of April and may have played one of the other teams in the league before or after.

[thekingofclout]

What an absolutely fabulous photograph you have there! Just tremendous.

Best, Jimmy

[Ladder7]

Who let Mugsy wear sports socks! Great image

[Potomac Yank]

Not seeing Jim Thorpe in the foto posed a few questions.
I know that Thorpe appeared in 19 games of the 1913 season.
My questions are:
Did he get a try out in spring training?
He's found on the 1913 T200 NY Giants team card.
When was he brought up?
When was he sent back down?
It might be a piece of the puzzle to the dating of this fantastic photo.

[Kawika]

I gave the trusty old New York Times Archives a once over for the period of March 15 to April 15, 1913 and gleaned the following (all dates are of publication and not necessarily the date of the event, more likely the preceding day):
March 22 - break camp at Marlin Springs
-swing through Houston, Beaumont, New Orleans, Mobile
April 1- @ Birmingham
April 2- @ Marysville College at Knoxville
April 4- @ Norfolk
April 5- @ Richmond
April 6&7- @ Baltimore O's
April 8- @ Washington
April 10- @ Yale
Opened season at Polo Grounds vs Braves on April 10
Also did a search for "Thorpe Giants". He appeared to be injured part of the spring and was at some point relegated to the second team (Colts or Yannigans). There were no hits from March 25 to April 9. Make of this what you will.

Once in a while I get green with envy at another's pick-ups. This is one of those times. A most awesome photograph!

[slidekellyslide]

Those grandstands can be from any of those towns. There is not enough of the grandstands to probably ever be able to identify one conclusively. Perhaps a clue lies within the fans in the stands as to the whereabouts...is that a sailor to the far left in the front row?

[mschrader]

That photo was taken April 4, 1913 at Lafayette Park in Norfolk, Virginia. The Giants played an exhibition game against the Norfolk Tars on their way back north that spring.

[bmarlowe1]

Originally Posted by mschrader

That photo was taken April 4, 1913 at Lafayette Park in Norfolk, Virginia. The Giants played an exhibition game against the Norfolk Tars on their way back north that spring.

See link from post #41 above:
http://sabr.org/cmsFiles/Files/Mysteryphoto5-10.pdf

[atx840]

bump.

What a great thread, awesome read and detective work gents.

[thecatspajamas]

Amazing detective work, and I hadn't seen this thread previously. Thanks for bumping!

Mark, is it still possible to get on the e-mail list for the Mystery Photo newsletter pdfs?