Quote:
Originally Posted by UKBaseballfan
There has been some discussion about the identification of the player standing top left in the 1877 Syracuse team photo. In the Beer & Whisky League book it has been identified as Tom Mansell. The second image of the 1878 Syracuse team photo identifies Mike Mansell as top right. Mike Mansell has been acknowledged as being on the rosters of both Syracuse teams for those years and the player identified as Mansell, (Tom or Mike) in both images does appear to be the same individual. I also attach confirmed identifications of Mike Mansell from 82 and 83. Note the ear shape, and to my eye it does seem highly probable that all 4 identifications of Mansell are actually of Mike Mansell, but I would be more than willing to be challenged in this assertion..
|
I don't have time to do a detailed analysis at the moment but after a cursory examination I'm comfortable saying that the players noted in the 1877 and 1878 Syracuse team photos are almost certainly the same person. Tom had previously been listed on the 1877 Syracuse team roster but I see that he has now been removed. Assuming that Tom did not play for Syracuse in 1877 it is probably safe to say that it is Mike in both photos. That said, both Mansell brothers exhibit the out-turned helix (upper ear rim) noted by UK. I would not be comfortable using that alone as the identifier.