Bill Rumler's Zeenut cards

BillyCoxDodgers3B · #1 04-16-2011, 11:13 PM

All we need now are some vintage newspaper links. I wasn't really familiar with this fellow's reputation--just his autograph (which certainly isn't an easy acquisition).

slidekellyslide · #2 04-16-2011, 11:16 PM

There is some info on Rumler at the Nebraska minor league website (owned by Net54 member Bruce Esser)

http://www.nebaseballhistory.com/people/rumler.html

tlwise12 · #3 04-18-2011, 02:39 PM

I apologize if I hijack this thread as I don't mean to, but I didn't know about the PCL scandal of 1920...

Could someone explain that to me and what players were involved?

Thanks
Travis

jerseygary · #4 04-18-2011, 03:43 PM

Here's a brief run-down from memory:

The Vernon (small community just outside the LA city limits) Tigers were the powerhouse of the PCL, winning the pennant in 17-18-19. Like the White Sox scandal, gamblers were behind the scenes pulling the strings and they used Vernon's first baseman Babe Borton to approach and bribe players from the Salt Lake City Bees to go easy on the Tigers so they could clinch the pennant. Bees players Jean Dale (pitcher), Harl Maggert (outfielder) and Bill Rumler (outfielder) were the players implicated as taking the dirty money. Apparently Borton was pretty sloppy about the bribes and the whole thing was quickly uncovered. Borton, Maggert and Dale were thrown out of organized ball for ever and Rumler, who totally denied everything, was suspended for 8 years.

That's off the top of my head, there may have been more players thrown out but I'm not sure. The whole thing gave West Coast ball a bad name especially when the Black Sox scandal broke and it was discovered that half of the dirty Sox had West Coast connections - McMullin, Gandill, Risberg and Williams.

Jacklitsch · #5 04-18-2011, 04:31 PM

Some of the "bad boys" zeenuts. Don't recall hearing about Dale.

1919 Babe Borton

1916 Maggert

1917 Maggert

No cards for Maggert in 1918 or 1919

1920 Maggert

rhettyeakley · #6 04-18-2011, 05:11 PM

These two were also banned as well at around the same time...
Tom Seaton:

Luther "Casey" Smith:

FYI: When I was looking at the cards I looked closely at Smith's 1920 Zeenut card and thought to myself "That guy has to be Native American" and after a little research it is confirmed that Luther "Casey" Smith was in fact Native American. So, thanks to this thread I learned something totally new about the cards I own. Great thread.

jerseygary · #7 04-21-2011, 12:27 PM

Thanks to everyone who responded to this thread, plus the ones who sent private emails as well. The Zeenut cards and a few unpublished photos lent to me by a collector helped me get a good look at what Rumler looked like.

Here is my drawing of "Ole Bill" Rumler of the Hollywood Sheiks taking his position in the outfield at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, 1929. This drawing will accompany a story that will be in an upcoming issue of "21: The Illustrated Journal of Outsider Baseball" that will focus on Southern California ballplayers and lore.

andybecker · #8 07-22-2011, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacklitsch

Some of the "bad boys" zeenuts. Don't recall hearing about Dale.

1919 Babe Borton

1916 Maggert

1917 Maggert

No cards for Maggert in 1918 or 1919

1920 Maggert

nice Zees Jack!

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