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A Photographic Treasury of Baseball’s Deadball Era

Image of Frank Chance taken by Francis P. Burke circa 1908. Burke was one of the foremost of Deadball photographers and based in Chicago. This image is a positive of the original negative which is in the Collection. It is likely this image was taken…

This photo comes from the George Michael Collection which had a focus on sliding images. The image was captured by Charles M. Conlon whose handwritten annotation appears on back. Interestingly, Conlon does not identify the players involved. The typed caption identifies the slider as Tris…

Classic image of Johnson and his slingshot delivery style. The 1916 date is based on the uniform he is wearing.

Evocative image of Ossie Vitt of the Detroit Tigers circa 1912, the maiden year of Navin Field. Not the ropes used to manipulate the infield tarp, the edge of which can be seen at lower right.

Jim Thorpe in his first Spring Training as a Major League player. He is wearing a 1912 New York Giants uniform. The team doctor, Frank Finley is wearing a 1913 Giants jersey. Finley was John McGraw’s personal physician and obviously had privileges in training camp.…

A’s players at batting practice during Spring Training circa 1911. Note the caps and ball on the dirt near the players and the fact the negative appears to be reversed given the backward “A’s logo on Strunk’s jersey. The A’s players in the central grouping…

A 1911 rookie image of Grover Cleveland Alexander. We know this image is from 1911 visually by the black crepe armband worn on his left sleeve, such armband was worn in 1911 by the Philadelphia Phillies in honor of their club vice-president Frank Elliot who…

Nap Lajoie of the Cleveland Naps circa 1913-1914 at National Park in Washington D.C., the home of the Washington Senators. This photo was taken by Harris & Ewing who partnered with Paul Thompson’s The Article Syndicate to distribute photos during this period. It is rare…

Action shot of Hal Chase of the New York Highlanders early in his career. Based on the uniform and the background this was likely taken in Spring Training in Atlanta in 1908. There is a period Pictorial News Co. stamp on back with a couple…

Eppa Rixey of the Philadelphia Phillies early in his career. The caption explains how his recent victory was helping seal the Phillies National League Pennant.

Buy Now Perhaps Bender’s best known photo. This image was shot by Charles Conlon and was used for numerous card issues such as the T206 “No Trees” and T5 Pinkerton cabinet. Analysis of the scoreboard in the expanded image above determines this photo was taken on…

Fascinating photo of Germany Schaefer, who was touring with the Chicago White Sox for their 1913-1914 World Tour with the New York Giants, photographing the team’s mascot Nixey Callahan’s kid. The image was taken pregame at the game played at Stamford Bridge Stadium in Chelsea,…