Player Identification

[uga1980]

I recently purchased this and wanted to see if anyone might be able to add some insight of who the third person down is? It looks like it says Lynn Hunt but I cannot find anything on anyone by that name?

[milkit1]

Hi John

I am 99% positive that is Ben Hunt. I found an example of his signature where he signed it Franklyn Hunt. i think this is just an abbreviated version. Very cool and mega rare!bEN hUNT DRAFT CARD.jpg

[uga1980]

Thanks for sharing Sean. I appreciate the insight.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

I wouldn't automatically jump to the conclusion that this is Ben Hunt.

Without digging even deeper into my files, the WWI card was the only exemplar I also previously had on hand, so no help there. I'm not seeing a similarity between the two signatures, either.

I'm certainly unaware if he ever went by this modified version of his middle name, but even if he did, it would have made more sense if he had spelled it with one n, like Lyn Lary (Lynford). Of note is that I believe all the record books, along with the scribe of the WWI card, misspelled his middle name.

Notice the periods after "Ben" and "Hunt". No periods on Jon's example (although one hilariously appears at the conclusion of Rudolph's last name as if to mock us!).

It's also interesting to notice the similarities in the formations of the "L"s in Lear and Lynn, although this is perhaps mere coincidence. The Lear is assuredly authentic, as are the other two easily identifiable autographs.

I would be less surprised if this ultimately gets identified as another individual, if at all.

Another interesting question: what do these four men have in common, anyway? A cursory look doesn't show they were teammates in the Majors or minors. I didn't look as much as I could have, so perhaps missed something.

[mr2686]

Yeah, other than Maranville and Rudolph playing together with the Braves in 1920, the other two don't seem to fit. Signature wise, the Hunt is a bit of a stretch with the exemplar, but honestly I couldn't find any other Hunt in that time frame.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

It's sometimes been my experience that if you find a multi-signed vintage item where the players don't have any obvious connection, it could possibly date from spring training. If other avenues fail, start checking period baseball periodicals from around that 1920ish timeframe and read up on spring training box scores/articles. Therein may be some blurb about a Lynn Hunt, no matter how brief. Then again, he might not have been a player at all; perhaps just somebody who worked in some capacity for one of the teams.

[milkit1]

I have found on the WW1 draft cards that a lot of players signd very specifically on them as opposed to a normal squiggle that might come from signing a piece of paper. It appears that he had someone fill out most of his card and he just signed it. I think possibly most places have his middle name misspelled thus his correction at the bottom on his sig. I would feel very confident in stating this is Ben Hunt. Its always possible some random player that nobody has ever recorded signed it or that some no player signed it but based on the the other three it only seems logical its a player and only seems more logical that its the one Ben Hunt that played during that period whom also had some issue with his middle name (at least in terms of spelling it differently then the patriot that he was obviously named after).

Originally Posted by BillyCox3

I wouldn't automatically jump to the conclusion that this is Ben Hunt.

Without digging even deeper into my files, the WWI card was the only exemplar I also previously had on hand, so no help there. I'm not seeing a similarity between the two signatures, either.

I'm certainly unaware if he ever went by this modified version of his middle name, but even if he did, it would have made more sense if he had spelled it with one n, like Lyn Lary (Lynford). Of note is that I believe all the record books, along with the scribe of the WWI card, misspelled his middle name.

Notice the periods after "Ben" and "Hunt". No periods on Jon's example (although one hilariously appears at the conclusion of Rudolph's last name as if to mock us!).

It's also interesting to notice the similarities in the formations of the "L"s in Lear and Lynn, although this is perhaps mere coincidence. The Lear is assuredly authentic, as are the other two easily identifiable autographs.

I would be less surprised if this ultimately gets identified as another individual, if at all.

Another interesting question: what do these four men have in common, anyway? A cursory look doesn't show they were teammates in the Majors or minors. I didn't look as much as I could have, so perhaps missed something.

[uga1980]

I have been trying to find a connection between Lear, Rudolph and Maranville but haven't seen an overlap other than a possible spring game which could be where the Hunt person could've come in. Honestly been working on it for a bit and haven't come across anything for sure. I appreciate the thoughts and welcome any additional.

[mr2686]

Sometimes we all over think it a bit. These guys could have been hunting buddies for all we know, and a next door neighbor kid could have had them sign the paper when he saw them together. Ya just never know. LOL