Cleveland Naps – The Chapman Deadball Collection

Nap Lajoie, c. 1913-1914

1911-1915 Images, Agencies, Cleveland Naps, Collections, Harris & Ewing, Nap Lajoie, Paul Thompson's The Article Syndicate, Photographs, Players, Teams

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…

Steve O’Neill, c. 1912

1911-1915 Images, Agencies, Brown Brothers, Cleveland Naps, Collections, Photographs, Photos used for Cards, Steve O'Neill

Catcher Steve O’Neill, Cleveland Naps, circa 1912 by Brown Brothers. His B-18 blanket image.

Nap Lajoie, 1905 Louis Van Oeyen image

1900-1905 Images, Cleveland Naps, Collections, Hall of Famers, Louis Van Oeyen, Nap Lajoie, Photographers, Photographs, Players, Teams

This image is from circa 1905 and was taken by noted photographer Louis Van Oeyen. We know it is no later than 1905 because it appeared in the 1906 Lajoie Guide issued before that season.

Harry Ables, Francis P. Burke c. 1909

1906-1910 Images, Agencies, Cleveland Naps, Collections, Francis P. Burke, Photographers, Photographs, Players, Teams

Harry Ables of the Cleveland Naps, photo by Francis P. Burke of Burke & Atwell.

Nap Lajoie, c. 1903-1904

1900-1905 Images, Cleveland Naps, Collections, Hall of Famers, Nap Lajoie, Photographs, Players, Teams

Nap Lajoie standing with Otto Hess (left) and Bill Bradley (right) in circa 1903-1904.

Milo Netzel, 1909 by Francis Burke

1906-1910 Images, Cleveland Naps, Collections, Francis P. Burke, Milo Netzel, Photographers, Photographs, Players, Teams

Metzel played in 10 games for the Cleveland Naps in 1909, his cup of coffee in the big leagues. He is seen here at Chicago’s South Side Park as captured by Francis P. Burke.

Nap Lajoie, 1905 image by Louis Van Oeyen

1900-1905 Images, Cleveland Naps, Collections, Hall of Famers, Louis Van Oeyen, Nap Lajoie, Photographers, Photographs, Photos published in Baseball Photography of the Deadball Era, Players, Teams

This image was taken by Louis Van Oeyen of Nap Lajoie. This is the actual print that was used to publish the 1906 Lajoie Baseball Guide which is shown below. The print has no border, the “white” around the image is part of the mount.…

1909 Huntington Grounds game action!

1906-1910 Images, Addie Joss, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Naps, Collections, Deadball Stadiums, Hall of Famers, Nap Lajoie, Photographs, Players

It is very unusual to find pre 1910 major league game action photos, but that is exactly what we have here. These three images were all taken during the August 11, 1909 game between the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Naps at Huntington Grounds in…

Addie Joss, c. 1908

1906-1910 Images, Addie Joss, Cleveland Naps, Collections, Hall of Famers, Louis Van Oeyen, Photographers, Photographs, Photos published in Baseball Photography of the Deadball Era, Players, Teams

Image of Addie Joss at League Park in Cleveland. This photo is by Louis Van Oeyen, the noted Cleveland based photographer, circa 1908. Joss photos are very rare as he died at age 31 in the prime of his career. Even rarer are images of…

Cleveland – League Park, c. 1909

Cleveland Naps, Collections, Deadball Stadiums, Detroit Tigers, Hall of Famers, Nap Lajoie, Players, Real Photo Postcards, Teams

Game action at League Park in Cleveland c. 1909 based on the uniforms. The opponent is the Detroit Tigers. Nap Lajoie, the Cleveland second baseman, is the player at right. The Tiger runner is unknown, but it is fun to think it could be Ty…

Cy Young – Spring Training, 1911

1911-1915 Images, Agencies, Cleveland Naps, Cleveland Newspapers, Collections, Cy Young, Hall of Famers, Photographs, Photos published in Baseball Photography of the Deadball Era, Players, Teams

Cy Young at the bat in Spring Training 1911. This photo was likely taken in Hot Springs, Arkansas in February where a conglomeration of Major League players gathered before joining their teams. Note the glove tucked into his waist and his Cleveland sweater. Judging by…

Tris Speaker – First Cleveland Photo, 1916

1916-1920 Images, Cleveland Naps, Collections, Hall of Famers, Louis Van Oeyen, Photographers, Photographs, Photos used for Cards, Players, Teams, Tris Speaker

Louis Van Oeyen image used for the 1916 Jack Dunn Day Cleveland schedule card. Likely one of the first photos of Speaker as an Indian. Speaker came over from Boston that year.