National Baseball Hall of Fame

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Joe Tinker

Shortstop
  • 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

Auction History

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T201 Mecca Canvas: Frederick Payne

Tris Speaker

Outfield
  • Series: Pilgrims
  • City: Boston
  • Team: Red Sox
  • League: American League
  • Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame

Tristram E. Speaker (1888-1958) enjoyed a long and storied career as perhaps the greatest all-around center fielder in the game. Led the Red Sox to two titles and, upon moving to Cleveland over a salary dispute, led the Indians to a championship in 1920. He still holds MLB records for doubles and outfield assists.

  • Career batting average: .345
  • Also still holds MLB record for unassisted double plays by an outfielder
  • Speaker’s glove came to be known as “the place where triples go to die”
  • Elected to Hall of Fame: 1937

Auction History

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T201 Mecca Canvas: Tris Speaker

Louis Santop

Catcher
  • Series: Pilgrims
  • City: Oklahoma City
  • Team: Monarchs
  • League: Independent
  • Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame

Louis Santop (Loftin) (1890-1942) was a prodigious HR slugger & indomitable catcher in the Negro Leagues. He averaged .406 lifetime, caught two of the hardest throwing pitchers of all-time (Smokey Joe Williams & Dick Redding) and endured behind the plate for an astonishing 15 seasons despite the privations and rigor of black baseball in America in his day. A jovial giant, Top was a fan favorite & sure-fire draw with his ability to throw a ball over outfield fences before games & hit it even further during games.

  • It is told the Newark park had an ad promising a suit to players who hit the 440’ centerfield fence. The sign was removed after Santop hit it three times in one game
  • Played for great Negro League teams including the NY Lincoln Giants and the Hilldale Club
  • Elected to Hall of Fame: 2006

Auction History

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T201 Mecca Canvas: Bill Abstein

Branch Rickey

Manager
  • Series: Pilgrims
  • City: Ann Arbor
  • Team: Wolverines (University of Michigan)
  • League: Big Ten Conference
  • Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame

Wesley Branch Rickey (1881-1965) didn’t live to see his 1967 entrance into the Hall of Fame as one of the legends in baseball’s executive ranks, but he did see the legacy of his pioneering efforts to end decades of shameful discrimination in the sport he loved. In the year of his death, one in five MLB players was African American. In his half-century in the front office, Rickey invented the farm system and had one of the keenest eyes for talent.

  • In WWI Rickey commanded a chemical warfare unit that included Ty Cobb and Christy Mathewson
  • Hired Allan Roth as the first team statistician in 1947, thus becoming an early progenitor of sabermetrics
  • Jackie Robinson eulogized Rickey as having done more for African Americans than anyone but Abraham Lincoln
  • Elected to Hall of Fame: 1967

Auction History

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T201 Mecca Canvas: Joe Ward

Eddie Plank

Pitcher
  • Series: Pilgrims
  • City: Philadelphia
  • Team: Athletics (AL)
  • League: American League
  • Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame

Edward Stewart Plank (1875-1926) hurled more shutouts and complete games than any other lefthander in his 17-season career. He ranks behind only Warren Spahn and Steve Carlton among southpaws in wins. Signed by Connie Mack straight out of college, Plank never played a day in the minors. Playing in 4 Series for Philadelphia, Plank had an ERA of 1.32 but got no run support, going 2-5 but finishing all six of his starts.

  • His 326 wins ranks 13th on the all time list. He had eight 20-win seasons
  • At the end of his career, played for St. Louis in the Federal League’s final year in 1915 and then with the Browns for two more
  • Elected to Hall of Fame: 1946

Auction History

Cartophilia

T201 Mecca Canvas: Otis Johnson