Since Bob had some trouble with the Czech telecommunications providers last night, I thought I should step in and point out a new connection between baseball and libraries. The Library of Congress has just posted over 3,000 photographs on Flickr, many of which are baseball related photos from around 1912. You can scroll through the baseball photos here, or view a slideshow here.
Is it me or do the stands seem way, way far away from home plate? In several of the photos, it seems home plate is 50 yards from the stands.
I always wondered why Bill James in his historical abstract marked Hal Chase as the ugliest player of the decade (actually, it was Susie James, Bill's wife). From the photo, he looks charismatic which probably helped him recruit others to his crooked ways.
That's a great action shot of Harl Maggart taking a swing. The front leg is firm, he is staying back, on balance, with good rotation. Good extension with the left hand, hitting the ball in front of the plate. This looks like a fair power swing. There are only a couple of other "action" shots in the collection. Given the rudimentary technology of photograpy in those days, I wonder if getting a good action shot was the result of more luck than skill. Thanks for sharing this.
Comment status: comments have been closed. Baseball Toaster is now out of business.
This picture was presumably taken about 40 years before Bruce Sutter was even born. I've always been told he invented the pitch!
Is it me or do the stands seem way, way far away from home plate? In several of the photos, it seems home plate is 50 yards from the stands.
I always wondered why Bill James in his historical abstract marked Hal Chase as the ugliest player of the decade (actually, it was Susie James, Bill's wife). From the photo, he looks charismatic which probably helped him recruit others to his crooked ways.
Finally, Christy Mathewson had huge hands.
Comment status: comments have been closed. Baseball Toaster is now out of business.