- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Chicago
- Team: Cubs
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Joseph Bert Tinker (1880-1948) sparkled at short, helping the Cubs to 4 pennants and 2 Series wins. He and fellow rookie Johnny Evers turned their first double-play to Frank Chance on Sep 13, 1902. A fight over a cab ride left Tinker and Evers estranged for years, but didn’t prevent them from playing 2nd “like one man, not two.” Tinker was widely held to be second only to Honus Wagner at SS, leading the league in many fielding categories. As skilled as he was afield, Tinker was also one of the great clutch hitters. Christy Mathewson deemed him the NL player he least wanted to see.
- On June 28, 1910 Tinker became one of a handful to steal home twice in a game
- Asked to leave the Cubs when Evers was made manager in 1913 but filled that role himself after a hiatus with the Federal League
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1946
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T201 Mecca Canvas: Frederick Payne
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Chicago
- Team: White Sox
- League: American League
Harry Donald Lord (1882-1948) was groomed for Jimmy Collins’ third base position on the Boston Americans (soon to become Red Sox.) Highlights of his stellar ’09 season included leading a triple steal against the Athletics. Walter Johnson broke Lord’s finger, leading to a trade to the White Sox. From there he joined the Federal League before leaving MLB.
- Voiced regret he had left Chicago before 1919, believing he could have thwarted the affair
- In 1910, Lord was one of ten future MLB managers on the Red Sox, most ever
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T201 Mecca Canvas: Harry Lord
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Chicago
- Team: American Giants
- League: Cuban-American Negro Clubs Series
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
John Preston Hill (1882-1951) was a giant among early 20th Century players, starring for the Cuban X Giants, Philadelphia Giants, Leland Giants & the Chicago American Giants of the Negro Leagues. The Virginia native broke in with the Pittsburgh Keystones in 1899 & went on to a renowned career in the US & Cuba playing & managing for 11 teams until his final tenure with the Baltimore Black Sox in 1925. Hill forged a strong bond with Rube Foster while playing for the Leland Giants. Following their phenomenal 1910 season (123-6), Hill was Foster’s captain when he formed the Chicago American Giants. While relegated to playing against minor league white teams, Hill’s teams also held their own when given the chance with MLB squads. For example, the vaunted 1908 Cubs (104 wins) played an October exhibition against the Leland team. Mordecai Brown won two close games to edge the black team.
- Hill’s HOF plaque notes his “rifle arm” in CF, and calls Hill “one of the greatest line-drive hitters of his era”
- Homestead Grays’ Cumberland Posey called Hill “the most consistent hitter of his time”
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 2006
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T201 Mecca Canvas: Ed Summers
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Chicago
- Team: Leland Giants
- League: Cuban-American Negro Clubs Series
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Andrew Foster (1879-1930) was “the foremost manager and executive in history of the Negro Leagues” according to his Cooperstown plaque. He is known by many as “the Father of Negro Baseball,” a title earned by decades of playing greatness on the mound, managing championship teams, and founding the Negro NL in 1920. John McGraw recruited Foster to instruct his pitchers. Foster is said to have taught Mathewson the screwball. His nickname may derive from his defeat of Waddell in one of many exhibitions with the “real” big leaguers.
- Honus Wagner said Foster was “one of the greatest pitchers of all-time”
- But it was his brilliance as an executive that left a legacy of greatness in African-American history as the league he founded finally gave a national platform for the talents of black players
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1981
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T201 Mecca Canvas: JB Seymour
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Chicago
- Team: Cubs
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
John Joseph Evers (1881-1947) was immortalized as the pivot man with Joe Tinker and Frank Chance in the most famous double-play combo of all time. Evers was a good-hitting, slick-fielding 2nd baseman, winning World Series with the Cubs and Braves. A fiery-tempered man, Evers was said to have had more impact on a team than any at his position.
- The quintessential “small ball” player, Evers excelled in bunts, steals and heads-up play
- Saved a pennant race for Chicago by calling ump’s attention to Fred Merkle’s “Boner”
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1946
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T201 Mecca Canvas: Johnny Evers
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