ARTIST: Henry Sandham
PUBLISHER: Printed in Paris and published April 1, 1896 by Boussod Valadon & Co. Successors to Goupil & Co. . . .
MEDIUM: Goupilgravure (photogravure),
DATE: 1896.
EDITION SIZE: Image size 38 5/8 x 51 3/4" (98.1 x 131.4 cm).
DESCRIPTION: Painted by Henry Sandham in 1894. Copyright 1896 by Boussod Valadon & Co. were successors of Goupil & Co. <BR><BR> This image is one of the greatest baseball images produced before 1900. The game represented is the first “Temple Cup,” best of seven, post-season play-off between the best teams in baseball. It was played four times between 1894 and 1897 and is similar to today’s World Series games. However, the American League did not formally exist until 1901, so the Temple Cup games were played between the best teams in the National League. The Temple Cup itself is a thirty-inch, high silver cup that cost $800 to make in 1894. The cup is currently in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. <BR><BR> The 1894 Temple Cup contest was between the New York Giants and the Baltimore Orioles. The Baltimore Orioles with an 89-39 record in were first place. The New York Giants, with an 88-44 record, were in second place: 3 games behind the Baltimore Orioles. The Baltimore Orioles boasted the best starting line up with each player batting .300 or better. Unfortunately, for the Baltimore Orioles, the New York Giants swept the series 4 to 0. <BR><BR> The location is the Polo Grounds. Officially, the third Polo Grounds, located between 155-157th Streets and Eighth Avenue. It was home to the New York Giants from its opening in 1891 until the team moved to San Francisco in 1957, the New York Yankees from 1913-1922, and the New York Mets in 1962-1963. It was also home to the New York Giants football team 1925-1955 and the New York Jets 1960-1963. The stadium was demolished on April 10, 1964. In the distance the High Bridge can be seen, as well as a Westchester bound steam locomotive. <BR><BR> This is a very rare image in spectacular condition. The print itself is not common, but with the portraits of the players and officials, it is rare. <BR><BR> The game of baseball is older than most people realize. It was not invented by Abner Doubleday as the myth goes. He was given that title fifteen years after his death. The first mention of baseball in America is in a town ordinance from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1791. The ordinance banned the playing of baseball within 80 yards of the town meeting house. Teams played by rules created regionally or with no rules at all. It was common in these early games to plug the runner, hitting him with the ball to call him out. The New York Knickerbockers created a set of rules dealing with organization and game play. One of the rules made it illegal to plug the runner. In 1845 teams in the New York area adopted the Knickerbockers rules of play. These rules were known as the New York Game. In Boston there was another set of game play rules known as the Massachusetts Game. The first formal game played under the New York Game rules was at the Elysian Fields in Hoboken, New Jersey, on June 19, 1846. The New York Nine beat the New York Knickerbockers 23 to 1. <BR><BR> In 1857 a group of New York area baseball clubs formed the National Association of Base Ball Players. The rules established three key features of the game: ninety feet between the bases, nine-man teams, and nine-inning games. With the popularity of the game during the Civil War, 400 teams were organized by 1867. In 1858 at the Fashion Race Course, the first games of baseball to charge admission took place. Also in 1858 the first known All Star game took place with the best players from a group of the New York baseball clubs. In 1869 the NABBP created a professional category allowing teams to pay their players. Before that time, the players were strictly unpaid amateurs. The first team to be declared a professional team was the Cincinnati Red Stockings. A few years later it moved to Boston and was known as the Boston Red Stockings. The Boston Red Stockings dominated the league and had the largest stable of the best players. Between 1871 and 1875 the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players existed. After many disagreements the NABBA and the NAPBBP folded. In 1876 the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs (today known as the National League) was created. In 1901 the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs was founded. <BR><BR> <b>Lower Portraits</b><BR> W. B. Mercer (Win Mercer) (1874-1903) – Pitcher, Third Baseman and Outfielder for the Washington Senators. Bats left, throws right. In 1894 he was 20 and had 17 wins 23 losses, 3 saves as a pitcher and 165 times at bat with a .291 batting average. <BR><BR> Wm. Joyce (Bill Joyce) (1867-1941) – Third Baseman, First Baseman and Second Baseman for the Washington Senators. Bats left, throws right. In 1894 he had 355 at bats with a batting average of .355 playing 781 innings. <BR><BR> H. Duffy (Hugh Duffy) (1866-1954) – Outfielder for the Boston Beaneaters. Bats right, throws right. In 1894 he had 539 at bats with a batting average of .440 playing 1060 innings. <BR><BR> Wm. Nash (Billy Nash) (1865-1929) – Third baseman for Boston Beaneaters. Bats right, throws right. In 1894 he had 512 at bats with a batting average of .289 playing 1159 innings. <BR><BR> M. Griffin (Mike Griffin) (1865-1908) – Centerfielder for Brooklyn Grooms. Bats left, throws right. In 1894 he had 406 at bats with a batting average of .357 playing 930 innings. <BR><BR> D. Foutz (Dave Foutz) (1856-1897) – First Baseman, Outfield and Pitcher for Brooklyn Grooms. Bats right, throws right. In 1894 he had 297 at bats with a batting average of .303. <BR><BR> G. P. Tebeau (George Tebeau) (1861-1923) – Outfielder and First Baseman for the Washington Senators and Cleveland Spiders. Bats right, throws right. In 1894 he had 222 at bats with the Senators and 150 at bats with the Spiders. A life time batting average of .269. <BR><BR> Cy Young (Denton True Young) (1867-1955) – Pitcher. Bats right, throws right. He played for the Cleveland Spiders, St. Louis Perfectos, Boston Americans/Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Naps, and Boston Rustlers. In 1894 he had 26 wins and 21 losses ERA of 3.94, pitching 2 shutouts. His 22-year career 511 wins, 315 losses 2.63 ERA, 76 shutouts, pitched 7356 innings and faced 29565 batters. His lowest ERA was 1.62 <BR><BR> D. Richardson (Danny Richardson) (1863-1926) – Second Baseman, Shortstop and Outfielder. Bats right, throws right. He played most of his career for the New York Giants. In 1894 he played for Louisville Colonels (his last year) and had 430 at bats with a batting average of .253. <BR><BR> D. Pfeffer (Nathaniel Frederick Pfeffer, nicknamed Dandelion) (1860-1932) – Second Baseman and Shortstop. Bats right, throws right. Played for the Troy Trojans, Chicago White Stockings, Louisville Colonels, New York Giants, and Chicago Colts. In 1894 he had 414 at bats with a batting average of .309. <BR><BR> W. Robinson (Wilbert Robinson) (1864-1934) – Catcher. Bats right, throws right. A long career in baseball as a player and manager. Played for the Philadelphia Athletics and Baltimore Orioles. Managed the Baltimore Orioles for one year and the Brooklyn Robins for eighteen years. In 1894 he had 414 at bats with a batting average of 353. <BR><BR> J. McMahon (Jack McMahon) (1869-1894) – First Baseman and Catcher. Bats right, throws left. Played for the New York Giants <BR><BR> C. Comiskey (Charlie Comiskey) (1859-1931) – First Baseman and Manager. Bats right, throws right. Played for and managed the Saint Louis Browns, Chicago Pirates, and Cincinnati Reds. 1894 his last season he played and managed the Cincinnati Reds, 228 at bats with a batting average of .268. <BR><BR> W. A. Latham (Walter Arlington Latham) (1860-1952) – Third Baseman. Bats right, throws right. Played for the Buffalo Bisons, St. Louis Browns, Chicago Pirates, and Cincinnati Reds. In 1894 he had 534 at bats with a batting average of .313. <BR><BR> Ed Delahanty (Edward James Delahanty) (1867-1903) – Leftfielder, First Baseman and Second Baseman, bats right, throws right. Played for the Philadelphia Quakers, Cleveland Infants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Washington Senators. In 1894 he had 494 at bats with a batting average of .405. <BR><BR> Wm. Hallman (William Wilson Hallman) (1867-1920) – Second Baseman, Third Baseman and Shortstop. Bats right, throws right. Played for the Philadelphia Quakers, Philadelphia Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Browns, Brooklyn Bridegrooms, and Cleveland Blues. In 1894 he had 519 at bats with a batting average of .312. <BR><BR> J. Ryan (Jack Ryan) (1868-1952) – Catcher and First Baseman. Bats right, throws right. Played for the Louisville Colonels, Boston Beaneaters, Brooklyn Bridegrooms, Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Cardinals, and Washington Senators. In 1894 he had 201 at bats with a batting average of .269. <BR><BR> A. C. Anson (Cap Anson – Adrian Constantine Anson) (1852-1922) – First Baseman, Third Baseman, and Catcher. Bats right, throws right. Played for the Rockford Forest Citys, Philadelphia Athletics, Chicago White Stockings, and Chicago Colts. In 1894 he had 343 at bats with a batting average of .388. <BR><BR> R. Connor (Roger Connor) (1857-1931) – First Baseman, Third Baseman and Manager. Bats both, throws left. He played for the Troy Trojans, New York Gothams, New York Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and St. Louis Browns. He is known as the first great slugger in baseball and held the stats before Babe Ruth. In 1894 he had 462 at bats with a batting average of .316, 8 home runs and 93 RBI. He had a career 138 HR, 442 D, and 1323 RBI. <BR><BR> G. Miller (Doggie Miller/George Frederick Miller) (1864-1909) – Outfielder and Third Baseman. Bats right, throws right. He played for the Pittsburgh Alleghenys, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Browns, and Louisville Colonels. In 1894 he had 481 at bats with a batting average of .339. <BR><BR> P. Donovan (Patsy Donovan/Patrick Joseph Donovan) (1865-1953) – Right fielder. Bats left, throws left. He played for the Boston Beaneaters, Brooklyn Bridegrooms, Louisville Colonels, Washington Statesman, Washington Senators, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, and Brooklyn Superbas. In 1894 he had 577 at bats with a batting average of .303. <BR><BR> L. Bierbauer (Louis W. Bierbauer) (1865-1926) – Second Baseman. Bats left, throws right. He played for the Philadelphia Athletics, Brooklyn Ward’s Wonders, Pittsburgh Pirates, and St. Louis Browns. In 1894 he had 528 at bats with a batting average of .303. <BR><BR> A. Rusie (Amos Rusie) (1871-1942) – Pitcher and Outfielder. Bats right, throws right. He played for the Indianapolis Hoosiers, New York Giants, and Cincinnati Reds. In 1894 he won a league high 36 games to 13 lost, with an ERA of 2.78. <BR><BR> G. Davis (George Stacey Davis) (1870-1940) – Shortstop, Third Baseman, and Centerfielder. Bats both, throws right. He played for the Cleveland Spiders, New York Giants, and Chicago White Sox. In 1894 he had 486 at bats with a batting average of .352. <BR><BR> <b>Upper Portraits</b><BR> E. Hanlon (Edward Hugh Hanlon) (1857-1937) – He is sometimes referred to as “The Father of Modern Baseball.” He played 13 seasons in Major League baseball and he was the manager of the Baltimore Orioles (1892-1898) and Brooklyn Superbas (1899-1905). As a manager his teams won five National League pennants. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame posthumously in 1996. <BR><BR> J. E. Wagner (Jacob Earl Wagner) – (1861-1943) – A businessman from Philadelphia and baseball team owner. He is best known for owning the Washington Senators. He also owned the Philadelphia Athletics. <BR><BR> F. A. Abel (Ferdinand Augustus “Gus” Abel) – (1833-1913) – He was one of the original founders of the Brooklyn Base Ball Club - the team that became the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was primarily on the business side raising money for the team and stadium letting his partners Charles Byrne, George Taylor and Joseph Doyle run the team. <BR><BR> C. H. Byrne (Charles Byrne) – (1843-1898) – Co-founder and first president of the Brooklyn Base Ball Club. He was the driving force creating the franchise that became the Brooklyn Dodgers, not the Los Angeles Dodgers. He promoted Ladies Day to encourage better behavior at games. He built the team that won Brooklyn’s first two pennants in 1889 and 1890. <BR><BR> J. I. Rogers (no information) <BR><BR> E. A. McAlpin (Edwin A. McAlpin) (1848-1917) – He served on the National League board. He is better known for his career in the New York National Guard. He built the Hotel McAlpin in New York City, the largest hotel of the era. <BR><BR> A. Freedman (Andrew Freedman) (1860-1915) – American businessman and owner of the New York Giants. <BR><BR> N. E. Young (Nicholas Young) – (1840-1916) – He organized the meeting which resulted in the formation of the first professional baseball league in 1871. He served as president of the National League from 1885 to 1902. <BR><BR> E. B. Talcott (Edward Baker Talcott) (1858-1941) – A lawyer and stockbroker, he financed the New York Giants and was part owner along with E. A. McAlpin (McAlpin purchased his interest in 1896). He was a Major League Baseball executive for a number of years. <BR><BR> A. G. Mills (Abraham G. Mills) (1844-1929) – He was the fourth president of the National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs (1883-1884). He is remembered for the “Mills Commission” which controversially credited Abner Doubleday with the invention of baseball. <BR><BR> H. Wright (William Henry “Harry” Wright) (1835-1895) – Baseball player, manager, and game developer. He played for the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first “Professional” baseball team. <BR><BR> F. de H. Robinson (Wilbert Robinson “Uncle Robbie”) (1863-1934) – Baseball player and manager. <BR><BR> J. A. Hart (James Abner Hart) (1855-1919) – Baseball manager and president, he managed the Louisville Colonels and the Boston Beaneaters. He succeeded Albert G. Spalding as president of the Chicago White Stockings and part owner of the Chicago Colts. <BR><BR> C. Von der Ahe (Chris von der Ahe) (1851-1913) – owner of the St. Louis Brown Stockings, today known as the St. Louis Cardinals. He had a large public persona in baseball and was almost as well-known as Albert Spalding. <BR><BR> A. G. Spalding (Albert Goodwill Spalding) (1849-1915) – Pitcher, manager and baseball executive. He played for the Rockford Forest Citys, Boston Red Stockings, and Chicago White Stockings and managed the Chicago White Stockings. He was co-founder of A. G. Spalding Sporting Goods. <BR><BR> F. Selee (Frank Gibson Selee) (1859-1909) – Manager for the Boston Beaneaters and Chicago Orphans (today Chicago Cubs) winning 1284 games to 862 losses. <BR><BR> W. W. Kerr – Treasurer and then owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates was involved in some fashion with the players’ revolt in the 1890’s. <BR><BR> J. T. Brush (John Tomlinson Brush) (1845-1912) – Sports executive. He owned the New York Giants, the Indianapolis Hoosiers, and the Cincinnati Reds at various times. He is credited with reviving the New York Giants under his ownership. <BR><BR> W. Spalding (no information) <BR><BR>
ADDITIONAL INFO:
CONDITION: Very good condition. B/W
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