1905 Pittsburgh Pirates Season Ticket, Pass and Score Card

This blog focuses on a season pass and scorecard, all issued by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1905.  The games for this year were played in Exposition Park III. 

Barney Dreyfuss owned the team.  While the word "President" is underneath his name on the season pass reflected on this page, his title is abbreviated "Prest" on the on the 75 cent Grand Stand (grandstand was usually referenced as two words in this era) ticket.  

The Pirates finished in second place in the National League, nine games behind the pennant-winning New York Giants.  In 1905 the Pittsburgh Pirates were managed by Fred Clarke and the future Hall of Famer Honus Wagner was on the team.  The 1905 Pittsburgh Pirates were a strong team and almost any other year they would be winning the National League pennant or at least be giving the first place team a run for their money but the New York Giants that year were a powerhouse team, winning 105 games and their second straight NL title. Unlike 1904 though, when they refused to play in the World Series, the 1905 team played and beat the American League champs, the Philadelphia Athletics in the series in five games.

The Pirates won 96 games, good for a second place finish and the only team they had a losing record against were the Giants, who they went 10-12 against. Two things “hurt” the Pirates record late in the season, a three game sweep by the Giants in Pittsburgh with just 12 games to go and the team packed it in once they were eliminated, losing the last five games while scoring just five runs in those games.

Note:  If you have any 1905 tickets other than the 75 cent Grand Stand ticket reflected on this page, I would appreciate receiving a scan of the ticket(s).

1901 Cincinnati Reds Season Pass

 Issues to Mr. and Mrs. H. (Harry). N. Hempstead, sign by John T. Brush.

This pass is from the extensive collection of my good friend Howard Haimann. It is one of the most significant major league baseball passes I have ever seen for the following reasons:

• There few existing passes from 1901 so this pass is special because of its age.
• This 1901 Cincinnati Reds pass is especially rare because it was for games at League Park—it was the Reds home field from 1884 to 1901. In 1902, the same park was updated and called the Palace of the Fans. The Reds then moved to Redlands Field in 1912, later called Crosley Field.
• The pass is significant because of who signed it and to whom it was issued. It is signed by then Reds owner John T. Brush, one of the most dominant forces of the era in baseball. He owned the Reds from 1891 through 1902. He also owned the New York Giants from 1891 until his death in 1912. The pass is issued the Mr. and Mrs. H. (Harry) N. Hempstead. Harry Hempstead succeeded John T. Brush as the owner of the New York Giants in 1912 through 1918.
• John T. Brush was born in Clintonville, New York, on June 15, 1845. Orphaned at age four, John lived with his grandfather until going to Boston at age 17 to seek his fortune in the clothing business. After serving with the First New York Artillery during the Civil War, he opened a department store in Indianapolis when he was only 30 years old. Brush's first contact with baseball came in 1887 when he bought into the upstart Indianapolis Hoosiers of the National League as a means of advertising his store. He purchased the Cincinnati Reds in 1891 (selling his interest in 1902 to a group led by Garry Herrmann) and controlling interest of the New York Giants from Andrew Freedman in 1902.
  
  Just before the start of the 1911 baseball season, John T. Brush, his health now irreversibly in decline, received a cruel blow. On April 11 a fire destroyed most of Polo Grounds III, the wooden ballpark that had served as Giants home field for the past 20 years. The Giants’ home season was rescued when Frank Farrell, dominant co-owner of the American League rival New York Highlanders, magnanimously placed Hilltop Park at Brush’s disposal. Before his death in 1912, Brush rebuilt the Polo Grounds. Brush lived to see his Giants play in three World's Series (1905, 1911, and 1912).
• Harry N. Hempstead was born on June 25, 1868 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. He was a clothing store executive, not a baseball man. His connection to the Giants derived from marriage to Brush’s elder daughter, Eleanor. Although Hempstead had long held nominal positions on the Giants’ corporate board of directors, he had spent most of the preceding decade managing the Brush retail operation in Indianapolis. When he was thrust into the club presidency in December 1912, Hempstead’s primary concern would not be NL pennant races, a matter that he prudently left to authoritarian Giants field manager John McGraw. For the six years that he was club boss, Hempstead maintained a low public profile. In January 1919 he sold controlling interest in the Giants franchise to Manhattan stock trader Charles A. Stoneham. Hempstead then receded into the background, leaving to Stoneham the enjoyment of the four National League pennants (1921-1922-1923-1924) that lay just on the club’s horizon.

1946 Brooklyn Dodgers-St. Louis Cardinals Playoff

The 1946 National League pennant race was a nail-biter right to the end of September. Brooklyn played well throughout the campaign and the season ended in a tie with the St. Louis Cardinals--both teams won 96 and lost 58.  This was the first ever tie-breaker in Major Legue Baseball.  The first game was played at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis, and the second, at Brooklyn's Ebbets Field.  The three-game playoff ended with the Cardinals winning both games.

This page highlights the following artifacts from the 1946 Playoff Series:

1946 phantom Brooklyn World Series Press Pin.  As the season drew to a close, the Dodgers' front office, anticipating a pennant victory, was compelled to confirm an order for their World Series press pins (due to the standard lead-time of manufacture). This they did. The order was executed, but the Dodgers wilted in the final hours of the season and contented themselves to listen to the World Series on the radio. Dutifully, the manufacturer (Dieges & Clust) fulfilled the press pin order, and some of those 1946 Dodger World Series press pins (known as phantoms) survive to this day.

Brooklyn phantom World Series tickets.  Since the World Series would have begun in Brooklyn if the Dodgers had won the best-of-three game playoff, the Dodgers printed tickets for Games 1, 2, 6, and 7.  Images of the Reserved Seat tickets for Game 1, 2, and 6 are shown here.

Brooklyn Playoff game tickets.  On October 3, 1946, the Dodgers hosted the Cardinals for game 1 at Ebbets Field.  The Cardinals won 8 to 4.  The Dodgers used undated Grand Stand tickets for this game.  On this page are reflected two tickets for the game where Game No. 66 tickets wereused and another ticket where a Game No. 67 ticket was used.

Brooklyn press passes.  Game 3 of the playoff series would have been played in Brooklyn.  A full press pass is shown for Game 3 as well as stub for Game 2.

Brooklyn phantom World Series Program.  Harry M. Stevens Co. printed at least a few copies of a World Series program that would have been used if games were played in Brooklyn.  The program is comprised 40 pages (including the front and rear covers, which for some reason are counted in the page numbering sequence).  The Dodgers photos  and sketches are on pages 13 through 17;  the score pages are on pages 21 and 23; and the Red Sox photos and sketches are on pages 25 through 29.

Note:  If you have tickets for the 1946 playoff other than depicted on this page, I will appreciate receiving a scan of the tickets.  I have not seen a playoff ticket from Game 1 in St. Louis, October 1, 1946 or a dated ticket for Game 2 in Brooklyn.

1954-1956 Brooklyn Dodgers Elsie Day Tickets

In a promotional agreement between the Brooklyn Dodgers and Borden, special tickets were issued to children (the tickets specifically say "Not for Adults") for the years 1954, 1955, and 1956 (if you have seen Elsie Day tickets for other years, please let me know).

The tickets provided the holder access to the Grandstand at the "Press Gate."  Tickets could be obtained by saving five lids, bags, or wrappers from any Elsie Ice Cream Speciality.   The lids, bags, or wrappers were sent to Borden with 25 cents and the ticket(s) were mailed to the child.

Note:  I am not sure where the "Press Gate" was located at Ebbets Field.  I would appreciate receiving any information you may have on the location of the "Press Gate."  If you have any images of Elsie Tickets for years other than 1954, 1955, or 1956 (or upgrades to the images shown on this page), I would appreciate it if you would share a scan of the ticket.

 

1898 Brooklyn Season Pass at Washington Park

This pass is from the 1898 Brooklyn National League baseball club. It is one of the most significant major league baseball passes I have ever seen.  Here is some interesting information about the 1898 team:

• There few existing pre-1900 passes so this pass is special because of its age.  It is also in fantastic condition.

• This is the first year that Charles Ebetts name appears on season passes because the team founder, Charles Byrne, passed away in January 1898.
• The media commonly called the team the Brooklyn Bridegrooms because so many of the players were recently married.
• 1898 Brooklyn team played at Washington Park--where Ebetts moved them from Eastern Park.  they would continue to play at Washington Park through the 1912 season, with Ebetts Field opened in 1913.
• The team finished in 10th place in 1898 in a 12 team league.
• Billy Barnie was fired as manager in June with the team's record at 15-20 and the team mired in ninth place. Ebbets took over himself for a while before they handed the team over to Mike Griffin to finish the season.

1898 Brooklyn Bridegrooms
Roster
Pitchers Jack Dunn Welcome Gaston Frank Hansford Lefty Hopper Elmer Horton Harry Howell Brickyard Kennedy Kit McKenna Ralph Miller Harley Payne Ed Stein Joe Yeager		Catchers John Grim Jack Ryan Infielders Tom Daly Bill Hallman Candy LaChance George Magoon Billy Shindle Tommy Tucker Butts Wagner		Outfielders John Anderson Mike Griffin Fielder Jones Joe Kelley Aleck Smith		Managers Billy Barnie Charles Ebbets Mike Griffin

 

1896 Brooklyn Press Pass at Eastern Park

This press pass is from the 1896 Brooklyn National League baseball club. It is one of the most significant major league baseball passes I have ever seen.  Here is some interesting information about the 1898 team:

      

• There few existing pre-1900 passes so this pass is special because of its age.  It is also in fantastic condition.
• The Brooklyn team played at Eastern Park in 1896, where the team played from 1890 to 1897.
• The pass is personally signed by Charles H. Bryne, the team's founder and president.  Bryne died in January 1998.
• The media commonly called the team the Brooklyn Bridegrooms because so many of the players were recently married.

1896 Brooklyn Bridegrooms
Roster
Pitchers Bert Abbey Dan Daub Ad Gumbert George Harper Brickyard Kennedy Harley Payne Ed Stein		Catchers Buster Burrell John Grim Infielders Frank Bonner Tommy Corcoran Tom Daly Candy LaChance Billy Shindle George Shoch		Outfielders John Anderson Dave Foutz Mike Griffin Fielder Jones Tommy McCarthy		Manager Dave Foutz