Thread for player identification in team photos

[UKBaseballfan]

Originally Posted by UKBaseballfan

The attached team photo is included within the RMY May 1925 Auction. The accompanying narrative dates it as c1915 and states that it includes Zack Wheat and Casey Stengel among others.

I suspect that the suggested date for this image may be at least 10 years later.

The uniform does not seem to match the uniforms from the 1910s. It appears to match more closely with the home uniform from 1926 or 1927.

The first player that jumped out for me was Dazzy Vance in the top row third from left. Vance first played for Brooklyn in 1922. The second player was Babe Herman who is located as the extreme right player in the second row, there could be what appears to be a trainer to his left. Herman first played for Brooklyn in 1926. The best match for the bespectacled player in the back row I suggest is Norman Plitt, he re-joined Brooklyn after a 9 year absence in 1927.

I am having difficulty locating Casey Stengel who last played for Brooklyn in 1917 and by 1926 was retired. If the image is indeed from 1927 then Zack Wheat is also unlikely to be present. I believe Chick Fewster is on the left of the third row and Max Carey who joined Brooklyn in August 1926 is third from right in the third row.

If anyone can offer additional information in dating this image and providing identifications it would be most helpful.

[Geordie]

Isn't that Norm Plitt, with the glasses, next to Jess Petty in the back row?

[UKBaseballfan]

Originally Posted by Geordie

Isn't that Norm Plitt, with the glasses, next to Jess Petty in the back row?

Appreciate your suggested placement of Jesse Petty which I believe is to Plitt's right. The confirmation of Plitt represents a huge step forward as it dates the image to be from 1927.

I have attempted to start to fill in the pieces of the puzzle. Any additions, amendments or confirmations will be most gratefully received.

Top row (l-r)

Roettger, Elliott, Vance, Barnes, Cantrell, Petty, Plitt, Ehrhardt, Standaert, Clark

Second row

x, Rhiel, Statz, McGraw, O'Neil, Corgan, Hendrick, Butler, Herman, x

Third row

Fewster, Jacobson, x, Marriott, DeBerry, O. Miller, Robinson, x, Carey, Partridge, Moss

Bottom row

Henline, Gordinier, Griffin, Hargreaves, Felix, Barrett, Meusel, Doak, McWeeny

[UKBaseballfan]

Originally Posted by Geordie

I would suggest that Jumbo Elliott is in the top row to Vance's right and Otto Miller is to the right of Robinson.

Thank you for the suggestion below I have incorporated them into the above listings.

Also realised that Flowers and McGraw cannot both be in the image as they were traded for each other.

[Geordie]

I would suggest that Jumbo Elliott is in the top row to Vance's right and Otto Miller is to the right of Robinson.

[Geordie]

Could the player whose head is to the left of Herman be Jerry Standaert? It appears that he was released by Brooklyn early in 1927.

[UKBaseballfan]

Originally Posted by Geordie

Could the player whose head is to the left of Herman be Jerry Standaert? It appears that he was released by Brooklyn early in 1927.

Great catch, I agree.

I think the image was taken in Spring Training. The stand appears to resemble the Clearwater stand.

Brooklyn Eagle reports the presence of Billy Rhiel, Ray Gordinier and someone called Clarence Griffin at Spring Training.

[Geordie]

Clarence Griffin was a pitcher with Memphis, the same team that Standaert went to after his release. Maybe they had some arrangement with Brooklyn and Griffin had a tryout.

[Amazin69]

Mickey O'Neil was purchased on March 27 from Washington, so this would be at the very end of Spring Training. Less of a chance of NRIs sneaking into the pic, I'd think.

The only person who played for Brooklyn in 1927 who has yet to be ID'd in the picture is Overton Tremper, but since he didn't debut until June and played no minor league ball, I would venture that he was signed directly off the campus of the University of Pennsylvania and was thus unavailable for Spring Training until he graduated.

[UKBaseballfan]

Originally Posted by Amazin69

Mickey O'Neil was purchased on March 27 from Washington, so this would be at the very end of Spring Training. Less of a chance of NRIs sneaking into the pic, I'd think.

The only person who played for Brooklyn in 1927 who has yet to be ID'd in the picture is Overton Tremper, but since he didn't debut until June and played no minor league ball, I would venture that he was signed directly off the campus of the University of Pennsylvania and was thus unavailable for Spring Training until he graduated.

Thanks for your input. My understanding is that O'Neil was sold and not purchased on the specified date. We may tend to relate current experience in respect of season starts to past seasons. In 1927 it would be approaching mid-April before the first regular season games would be played.

Thank you for focusing on the date you specified as it is significant indicating that if O'Neil is present the image would have been taken early in spring training.

The quest for an image of Griffin is very pertinent, it appears likely he would be one of the unidentified players. He is listed as somewhat short for a pitcher at 5'8" and should not be confused with a namesake outfielder who did play in the Majors..

[Amazin69]

Originally Posted by UKBaseballfan

Thanks for your input. My understanding is that O'Neil was sold and not purchased on the specified date. We may tend to relate current experience in respect of season starts to past seasons. In 1927 it would be approaching mid-April before the first regular season games would be played.

Thank you for focusing on the date you specified as it is significant indicating that if O'Neil is present the image would have been taken early in spring training.

The quest for an image of Griffin is very pertinent, it appears likely he would be one of the unidentified players. He is listed as somewhat short for a pitcher at 5'8" and should not be confused with a namesake outfielder who did play in the Majors..

Dang, my bad. Should have cross-checked BB-Ref instead of solely relying on the 1927 team page on Wikipedia.

(The wiki page for O'Neil notes that he was the substitute 3B coach on the day in 1926 when Babe Herman "tripled into a triple play" [actually doubled into a double play]. Not that that has anything to do with anything else, plus I just noted that you can't trust Wikipedia fully, but it was still news to me.)

[UKBaseballfan]

Here is an image of Clarence Griffin wearing the Brooklyn uniform presumably while participating on his tryout with the 27 Robins. Image can be found within the on-line Brooklyn Public Library collection which includes collections from the Brooklyn Eagle.