Q. Does any prewar collector know if....

[55koufax]

There was ever a baseball card made of George Halas? I just learned that Papa Bear and the founder of the NFL had a cup of coffee playing MLB with the NYY, pre 1920. I understand that he was a right fielder. I further understand that the fella who took over for him in right.....was none other than George Herman Ruth. Remarkable stuff.

[BuzzD]

Never seen a card. I have autographed photo

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by BuzzD

Never seen a card. I have autographed photo

Very cool photo and autograph

The things we learn and see on the forum

Love it

[Bliggity]

Looks like his only card is from the 1978 Grand Slam set. Nothing contemporary.

[55koufax]

Thks for sharing. Halas was very strong for his size, like 5'10" maybe. Never realized Papa Bear looked so great in pinstripes.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

The photo shown above is a colorized version of the one that appears on the Grand Slam card.

I have seen that image so many times in various incarnations. For years, I swore it was the only instance of anyone taking Halas' photo as a baseball player. Lots of signed examples out there. Baseball autograph collectors of yesteryear seemed to enjoy getting that one autographed through the mail, which Halas was always willing to oblige.

[BobC]

There's been a long-standing trick trivia question out in the hobby asking what HOFer did Babe Ruth replace in RF for the Yankees. The trick off course being that the question just says HOF, and fails to mention the Football HOF. Truth is, Ruth didn't actually replace Halas, as Halas appeared in only 12 games for the Yankees during the entire 1919 season, and per BaseballReference, only 5 of those games had him playing in RF. Ruth actually most likely replaced Sammy Vick who, according to BaseballReference, played 98 games in right field for the Yankees in 1919, and also played RF for the Yankees 29 times in 1920 as well, before finishing his career in Boston with one final season in 1921. And Ruth didn't just play RF for the Yankees in 1920 either. He played 84 games in RF, 32 in LF, and 25 in CF. So, he wasn't exactly their everyday RF either.

The idea of Ruth replacing Halas is due to some smart-ass at one time wanting to be able to ask an otherwise ridiculous and unanswerable trivia question they had likely come up with.

[ushojh1]

very cool!

[55koufax]

After he failed with the Yanks, and before he founded the Chicago Bears and the NFL, he went to work as a safety expert for the railroads studying stresses and strains of bridges.

Papa Bear received an engineering degree from The Illini.

Whatta tremendous human.