NY Semi-Pro League - Bushwicks - Dexter Park

[h2oya311]

I recently picked up this really cool photo of Whitey Ford from 1949. Unfortunately, I can't seem to track down enough information about why he is wearing a Clippers uniform.

My understanding is that Max Rosner's Semi-pro Brooklyn Bushwicks played exhibition games at Dexter Park from 1917 until the early 1950's against semi-pro teams, Negro League teams, and a few minor league teams. The opposing teams were sometimes comprised of major league stars, most notably in the late 1920's when Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig were on teams (Larrupin Lou's and Bustin' Babe's).

There was a Class D minor league team, the Batavia Clippers, that played in the Pennsylvania-Ontario-New York League. It appears that Whitey is wearing their uniform, based on the hat and uniform name. But there is no record of Whitey playing for that team. Perhaps Whitey played on this post-season exhibition team that was comprised of mostly Batavia Clippers players with a few stand-ins? The photo is dated 10/9/1949, which coincides nicely with a picture I found online at http://brooklynology.brooklynpublicl...4/Semipro.aspx, which shows a photo of 4 Bushwicks players as printed in The Eagle on 4/10/1949.

Anyway, if you have any Bushwicks / Dexter Park photos/memorabilia to share, please do so! I'm intrigued. More importantly, if you can help me shed some light on why Whitey was wearing a Clippers uniform in 1949, I'd love to know!

[GKreindler]

AWESOME photo, Derek. Wish I could help with more info.

Graig

[h2oya311]

Got some help from a member - thanks angelpece!!! (S)he shared the following two newspaper articles from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

The first is from 4/9 noting that Eddie Ford would be pitching the first game of a double-header against the Bushwicks and the second is from 4/10 showing the box score from the game(s) on 4/9. Whitey got the win in the first game and, according to the article, scored from third on an errant pick-off attempt!

http://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper%2...20-%207678.pdf

http://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper%2...20-%207712.pdf;

Neither article explains why he was wearing a Clippers uniform (instead of his Binghamton Triplets uniform), but at least the date and the venue on the back of the photo aren't completely made up as they line up perfectly with these articles!

[h2oya311]

I had someone remind me of this post from 2014.

RIP Whitey! And the dates in the post above should show 10/9 and 10/10, not 4/9 and 4/10. Oops! I feel icky editing a post from 6 years ago (if I even can).

[Chris Counts]

I love old minor league snapshots. You can pick 'em up for a song, and each one is tougher to find than just about any baseball card. Here's Yogi and Bobby Brown with Newark during the same era ...

[h2oya311]

sweet snapper, Chris! I don't think I had seen that one before. Thanks for sharing!

[Jim65]

Originally Posted by Chris Counts

I love old minor league snapshots. You can pick 'em up for a song, and each one is tougher to find than just about any baseball card. Here's Yogi and Bobby Brown with Newark during the same era ...

Nice, I have a few Newark Bears and Jersey City Giants snapshots in one of my binders somewhere. I love them too.