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Merkle923 · 11-26-2021, 10:03 PM

For years this image has haunted researchers. It's of...somebody...wearing an Orioles' uniform, number 29. We know it was taken in the visitors' dugout before the 1972 All-Star Game in Atlanta. And that's it.

Tonight, I tripped across this in the SABR bio of Joe Durham, an outfielder with the Orioles in 1954 and 1957, briefly with the Cardinals in 1959, and the team's primary batting practice pitcher from 1965 or so until the 1986 season: "Baltimore manager Earl Weaver brought Durham to the 1972 All-Star Game in Atlanta to warm up the American Leaguers."

The 1972 photo is the pensive color shot; the B&W portrait is from 1954; the last is a screenshot off Newspapers.com of Durham throwing BP at Memorial Stadium in 1974. Sure looks like he's wearing #29 there too.

Mystery solved.

11-26-2021, 10:03 PM	#35306
Merkle923 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 2,185	Joe Durham 1954 For years this image has haunted researchers. It's of...somebody...wearing an Orioles' uniform, number 29. We know it was taken in the visitors' dugout before the 1972 All-Star Game in Atlanta. And that's it. Tonight, I tripped across this in the SABR bio of Joe Durham, an outfielder with the Orioles in 1954 and 1957, briefly with the Cardinals in 1959, and the team's primary batting practice pitcher from 1965 or so until the 1986 season: "Baltimore manager Earl Weaver brought Durham to the 1972 All-Star Game in Atlanta to warm up the American Leaguers." The 1972 photo is the pensive color shot; the B&W portrait is from 1954; the last is a screenshot off Newspapers.com of Durham throwing BP at Memorial Stadium in 1974. Sure looks like he's wearing #29 there too. Mystery solved. Attached Images Last edited by Merkle923; 11-26-2021 at 10:39 PM.