- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Cleveland
- Team: Naps
- League: American League
George Thomas Stovall (1877-1951) played 1B with the Cleveland Naps and St Louis Browns from 1904-1913 before going over to the new Federal League for two final years with the KC Packers. He managed at least part of a season with each team. In over 5K ABs his lifetime average was .265.
- Homered off his brother Jesse in his rookie season (an MLB first)
- “The Jesse James of the Federal League” recruited some top ML players to the ill-fated venture
Auction History
Cartophilia
T201 Mecca Canvas: George Stovall
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Cleveland
- Team: Naps
- League: American League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Napoleon Lajoie (1885-1959) joined the American League at its inception and became its first superstar en route to a Hall of Fame career as one of the best all time 2nd basemen. In that first year of the junior circuit, Lajoie set a record never exceeded in the AL with a .426 BA (also never exceeded in the modern era in the NL). Won the Triple Crown in 1901 and 4 more AL batting titles.
- Only Cobb, Ruth, Wagner, Mathewson and Johnson preceded him In the first HOF balloting
- Was such a hit with Cleveland fans, they voted to name the team the “Naps” in 1903
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1937
Auction History
Cartophilia
T201 Mecca Canvas: Nap Lajoie
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Cleveland
- Team: Naps
- League: American League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Adrian Joss (1880-1911) starred for Cleveland for all of his too-brief nine-year career. What his ML tenure lacked in length, Joss made up in quality. Of his 160 wins, 45 were shutouts including a perfect game and another no-hitter. His lean frame and exceptionally long arms gave him the ability to fool batters with a twisting delivery. Joss’s first game was a one (scratch) hit shutout on his way to 17 rookie victories. Won 20+ games four straight years before being plagued by ill health his final two seasons. Succumbed to TB as the 1911 season was starting.
- Nap Lajoie said: “In Joss’s death, baseball loses one of the best pitchers and men that has ever been identified with the game.”
- 67 years later, the Veteran’s Committee elected Addie to the Hall of Fame in 1978
Auction History
Cartophilia
T201 Mecca Canvas: James Dygert
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Cleveland
- Team: Naps
- League: American League
Joseph Jefferson Wofford Jackson (1887-1951) had the “perfectest” swing according to Babe Ruth who copied it. After nearly a century of more contenders, many would still say Shoeless Joe was the purest hitter ever to wield a baseball bat. Expelled from baseball by Judge Landis, Jackson lives in infamy despite demonstrating prowess at the plate and grace afield. While he will ever be branded with the “Black Sox,” Jackson stirred passions that still echo in baseball today.
- Still ranks as the third-highest career batting average in history (.356)
- His .408 average in 1911, his rookie season, is sixth-highest in the modern era
Auction History
Cartophilia
T201 Mecca Canvas: Ed Fitzpatrick
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Cleveland
- Team: Naps
- League: American League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Elmer Harrison Flick (1876-1971) subbed for injured Sam Thompson in right field for the Phillies in 1898, beginning a 13-year run as a powerful hitter with great speed on the bases. After joining Cleveland in 1902, Flick became such a fixture that he earned his place in trivia lore as the player the Naps kept rather than trade for a young Ty Cobb. He and teammates Nap Lajoie and Addie Joss are among only 6 modern players to make the Hall of Fame with no World Series appearance on their resumés.
- Health problems began to plague Flick in 1908, severely curtailing his productivity and by 1914 he was out of baseball entirely
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1963
Auction History
Cartophilia
T201 Mecca Canvas: Joseph Lake
Ars Longa Store
Newsletter
