Ty Cobb (HOF), Sam Crawford (HOF) and Davy Jones at the 1909 World Series in Pittsburg’s new Forbes Field. Taken by noted Cleveland news photographer Louis Van Oeyen and twice signed by Van Oeyen himself for presentation to Ty Cobb. Oeyen sometimes signed photos to players “compliments of”. This image is signed by him on front and on back.

October 8, 1909, when the photo was taken as noted by Oeyen’s handwritten date, was the first day of the 1909 World Series between Cobb’s Detroit Tigers and the Pittsburg Pirates. April 23, 1910 as inscribed by “Van” Van Oeyen was the during the first road trip to of the TIgers to Oeyen’s hometown Cleveland Naps in the 1910 season. Early Cobb photo, at the World Series and signed by Van Oeyen is quite the trifecta!

The image was published, and attributed to Van Oeyn, in the 1910 Reach American League Guide section on the 1909 World Series.

This photo must have been taken around the time of the famous meeting of Cobb and Honus Wagner. Here is an image of them together, likely on the same day as our photo.