Chief Bender – Page 3 – The Chapman Deadball Collection

Chief Bender 1910 letter

Fascinating handwritten letter from Chief Bender to D.A. Fletcher who was organizing a barnstorming tour for after the 1910 baseball season. Fletcher’s tour was ultimately nixed by the National Commission who ran baseball at that time. The players’ frustration with such control over them led…

Chief Bender framed display

Chief Bender, Memorabilia

Chief Bender’s career spanned the years between 1903 and 1917, square in the heart of the Deadball Era. As an accomplished player on Championship caliber teams he appeared in many of the ephemera sets of the period. This display contains tobacco cards, candy cards, photos,…

Chief Bender Cabinet Art Card, c. 1912

Chief Bender, Memorabilia

This prototype card was likely produced for advertising purposes as another like it has never been seen. There is a Reach American League Official baseball behind Bender so there may be some link there.

Philadelphia Athletics – Opening Day, 1911

Chief Bender, Hall of Famers, Photographs, Underwood & Underwood

This composite photo of Opening Day shows Chief Bender scoring the first run of the season and President Taft throwing out the first ball.

Chief Bender – News Photo, 1911

1911-1915 Images, Chief Bender, Collections, Hall of Famers, Philadelphia Athletics, Photographs, Players, Teams

A great example of a press photo used for a newspaper article. This photo was used for this article in a October 1911 newspaper just prior to his appearance in the World Series against the Giants.

Chief Bender – Chicago White Sox, 1924

Chicago White Sox, Chief Bender, Collections, Hall of Famers, Photographs, Teams

Bender in his brief appearance with the Chicago White Sox in 1924. He had retired after the 1917 season, and come out of retirement to appear in a handful of games with the White Sox.

Chief Bender – Trapshooting, 1917

Chief Bender, Hall of Famers, Photographs

Bender is shown trapshooting with fellow ballplayers including his teammate HOF pitcher Grover Alexander who is wearing his Phillies sweater.

Chief Bender – Sepia Portrait, 1913

Agencies, American Press Association, Chief Bender, Hall of Famers, Photographs

Nice sepia toned portrait image of Bender. Photo by the American Press Association. Two copies of the photo are shown, it is interested to see the slight differences in tone and contrast.

Chief Bender – T205 image, 1910

Agencies, Chief Bender, Hall of Famers, Paul Thompson's The Article Syndicate, Photographs, Photos used for Cards

Paul Thompson T205 portrait image of the Chief. Perhaps the finest quality portrait of Bender.

Chief Bender – Windup, 1910

Chief Bender, Hall of Famers, Photographs

Paul Thompson captures Bender beginning his windup.

Chief Bender and “Home Run” Baker, 1910

1906-1910 Images, Chief Bender, Collections, Frank "Home Run" Baker, Hall of Famers, Philadelphia Athletics, Photographs, Photos used for Cards, Players, Teams

Bender warms up pregame. Home Run Baker is standing behind him. This is a known Paul Thompson agency image. This image was also used to produce the 1913 Tom Barker game card.

Chief Bender – Delivery Pose, 1910

1906-1910 Images, Agencies, American Press Association, Chief Bender, Collections, Hall of Famers, Philadelphia Athletics, Photographs, Players, Teams

Bender extends his delivery at the Hilltop Park in New York. Yet another photo exhibiting the grace of Bender’s pitching form. These photos were intended to be used by newspapers. A great example of this is how this Bender image has been incorporated to a…