OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - Thread for player identification in team photos

prewinter · 09-12-2021, 03:18 PM

This 1889 Kansas City team photo was taken during a series between Kansas City and Philadelphia that took place between September 2 and September 4, 1889. The players in the photo are identified at Threads of Our Game (https://www.threadsofourgame.com/1889-kansas-city/), although they say three of the players (McCarty, Hoover and Sowders) are not confirmed. I can state that McCarty is definitely wrong, as he was released from Kansas City in July and was pitching for St. Joesph in the Western Association in September. Hoover is also uncertain, IMO. The Kansas City Times reported on September 7 that Hoover left the club in Philadelphia and returned to Kansas City; he had an injured finger and was not going to be able to catch for a few weeks. The player identified as Hoover was elsewhere identified as Dan Stearns.

Kansas City played 5 games in Philadelphia in those three days, using a total of 13 players, including Mike Mattimore, who joined Kansas City from Philadelphia for the game on September 3. He is one of the players identified in the photo, confirming the September time frame given below the photo.
Correction 9/18/2021: Only 12 players used, not 13 as stated above.

The players who played in those five games (based on box scores in the Kansas City Times) are:
Herman Long, Billy Hamilton, Jim Burns, Jim Donohue, Mike Mattimore, Dan Stearns, Jim Manning, Billy Alvord, Jim Conway, Park Swartzel, John Sowders, and Joe Gunson. Bill Watkins was the manager. Of those players, all but Donohue and Swartzel were previously identified in the team photo. Notably, Hoover did not appear in the series; assuming he was with the club in Philadelphia, it is unclear when he would have left the club.

Below are the confirmed matches first, followed by the unknown player (previously thought to be McCarty) and possible matched for that player based on the list above.

Update 9/23/2021: The consensus identification seems to be:
Back row: Jim Burns, Dan Stearns, Bill Alvord, Jim Donahue, Park Swartzel
Front row: Herman Long, Jim Conway, Joe Gunson, Bill Watkins, Jim Manning, John Sowders, Billy Hamilton
(For those keeping track at home, that's four Jims, two Bills and a Billy.)

09-12-2021, 03:18 PM	#36
prewinter Major Leagues Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 300	1889 Kansas City Team Photo This 1889 Kansas City team photo was taken during a series between Kansas City and Philadelphia that took place between September 2 and September 4, 1889. The players in the photo are identified at Threads of Our Game (https://www.threadsofourgame.com/1889-kansas-city/), although they say three of the players (McCarty, Hoover and Sowders) are not confirmed. I can state that McCarty is definitely wrong, as he was released from Kansas City in July and was pitching for St. Joesph in the Western Association in September. Hoover is also uncertain, IMO. The Kansas City Times reported on September 7 that Hoover left the club in Philadelphia and returned to Kansas City; he had an injured finger and was not going to be able to catch for a few weeks. The player identified as Hoover was elsewhere identified as Dan Stearns. Kansas City played 5 games in Philadelphia in those three days, using a total of 13 players, including Mike Mattimore, who joined Kansas City from Philadelphia for the game on September 3. He is one of the players identified in the photo, confirming the September time frame given below the photo. Correction 9/18/2021: Only 12 players used, not 13 as stated above. The players who played in those five games (based on box scores in the Kansas City Times) are: Herman Long, Billy Hamilton, Jim Burns, Jim Donohue, Mike Mattimore, Dan Stearns, Jim Manning, Billy Alvord, Jim Conway, Park Swartzel, John Sowders, and Joe Gunson. Bill Watkins was the manager. Of those players, all but Donohue and Swartzel were previously identified in the team photo. Notably, Hoover did not appear in the series; assuming he was with the club in Philadelphia, it is unclear when he would have left the club. Below are the confirmed matches first, followed by the unknown player (previously thought to be McCarty) and possible matched for that player based on the list above. Update 9/23/2021: The consensus identification seems to be: Back row: Jim Burns, Dan Stearns, Bill Alvord, Jim Donahue, Park Swartzel Front row: Herman Long, Jim Conway, Joe Gunson, Bill Watkins, Jim Manning, John Sowders, Billy Hamilton (For those keeping track at home, that's four Jims, two Bills and a Billy.) Attached Images Last edited by prewinter; 10-20-2021 at 10:02 PM.