- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Detroit
- Team: Wolverines
- League: National League
William Henry Watkins’ (1858-1937) playing career was cut short in his first season by a bean ball that nearly killed him. The rookie had already been named manager, demonstrating leadership skills he would display his long and productive life. Led the Wolverines from the cellar to the top in only 3 yrs (1887).
- Was embroiled in the struggles to est. a 2nd ML as owner/mgr of Indianapolis in 1901
- Went on to a successful business career in Marysville MI, a town he helped found
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Detroit
- Team: Wolverines
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Permanent Outtake: Alternate fielding pose.
I made this card, the second one in the 1880s series for White, in a moment of doubt & fear. I had originally intended to produce only one pose per player for this set, but in the early days of the business there were ebbs in the demand for my work and I retreated to the idea that more Hall of Famers would increase demand. I also created a second John Clarkson card for the same reason. I have since regretted that decision and now feel confident enough in your support to return to my original principles for this series. While I have removed this pose from this series, I hope to create a smaller series that covers the 1890s some day and I can envision this pose making a permanent appearance in that set.
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Detroit
- Team: Wolverines
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
After finding an alternate pose with better detail, I retired this version and made a new one. You can find the new card here.
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Detroit
- Team: Wolverines
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
James Laurie “Deacon” White (1847-1939). Considered the greatest catcher of baseball’s barehanded period (1870s), White eventually moved to 3rd base, played 23 seasons, won 6 championships, and played with a number of the century’s best players on a number of the century’s best teams.
- 1st person to bat in 1st pro league, in 1871, earning a hit – a double
- Reportedly believed the earth is flat
- 2 batting titles; 3 RBI titles
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 2013
- Although the Old Judge series features nine known poses of Deacon White (including the McGreachery pose), this photo was taken during the Tomlinson Studio photoshoot of 1886 in Detroit and is not known to exist in the Old Judge series.
- Series: Beginnings: 1880's
- City: Detroit
- Team: Wolverines
- League: National League
George Edward Weidman (1861-1905) hurled more innings for the Detroit Wolverines than any other pitcher. Six of his nine ML seasons were with that club. Stump pitched for Rochester University as a youth and must have gotten great guidance from his amateur battery-mate: future Hall of Famer Buck Ewing. His record suggests a bit of hard luck, perhaps typified by his debut with the Buffalo Bisons in 1880 where, despite a 3.40 ERA, Weidman was 0-9. In ’81, with Detroit, Weidman had the lowest ERA in the NL at 1.80, going 8-5. 1882 saw yet another fateful stroke as Stump matched up with famed John Montgomery Ward in a pitching duel for the ages. The game went 17 scoreless innings until Old Hoss Radbourn broke Weidman’s heart with an 18th inning HR. For five straight years Stump lost 20+ games, suggesting managerial confidence and abysmal support. After leaving the Wolverines for a year in KC, Weidman returned for a satisfying, pennant-winning season, contributing 13 wins.
- Stump played minor league ball in Canada, umpired awhile, and concluded his pro ball life with the Providence Clamdiggers in 1893
- His life was cut short by cancer: Weidman did not survive surgery attempting to remove a tumor in his throat
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