- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Havana
- Team: Leones
- League: Cuban National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
John Lloyd (1884-1964) was one of the best shortstops in baseball history. Called by whites the “Black Wagner,” Honus himself deemed that association with Lloyd an honor. Lloyd was a pillar of black baseball with a lifetime Negro League BA of .343. He also spent 12 seasons in the Cuban League, batting .329.
- Babe Ruth called Lloyd the best baseball player ever
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1977
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T201 Mecca Canvas: Charles Hickman
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Rochester
- Team: Bronchos
- League: Eastern League
Edward Cunningham Foster (1887-1937) played mostly 2B and mostly for the Senators over a 13 year career. He broke in with a bang in 1912 and AL pres. Ban Johnson dubbed him the rookie of the year long before it became an official award. He later became known as the best hit-and-run batter in the AL.
- Career BA of .264, hit his best for the Browns in 1922 (.306)
- Survived typhoid fever in 1913 but lost much of his season
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T201 Mecca Canvas: Eddie Foster
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: New York
- Team: Giants
- League: National League
Arthur Fletcher (1885-1950) was cut from the same cloth as the fiery John McGraw for whom he starred for over a decade. When McGraw took his Giants to Dallas in 1908 he saw a cocky kid who played ball the way he did, not just with glove and bat but with fists and mouth. He took young Art (who off the field was a temperate, whole-souled gentleman) to New York, and soon installed him as the replacement for local hero Al Bridwell at short. It didn’t take long for Fletcher to vindicate his mentor as his strong batting and slick fielding anchored an all-star infield for three straight pennants. In all, Fletcher played in four World Series under McGraw. Fletcher managed the Phillies before finding a home as coach for the Yankees, a post he held until a heart attack forced his retirement after nineteen seasons. It has been said that, in his four appearances as a player and ten as coach, Art cashed more World Series checks than anyone.
- Art came to detest being field general. His time with the Phils was not happy, aggravated by a raw relationship with renowned umpire Bill Klem. He was content to stay in coaching and leave the managing to Miller Huggins and Joe McCarthy
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T201 Mecca Canvas: Russell Ford
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Brooklyn
- Team: Superbas
- League: National League
William Fredrick Dahlen (1870-1950) retired after 21 years for four ML clubs having played in more games than any other big leaguer. He was one of the most productive hitters of his era and a prolific shortstop (7,500 assists, 13,325 chances—still the record.) His 42-game hitting streak in 1894 is still the longest by a NL right-hander. “Bad Bill” (a fiery temper) led Brooklyn to titles his first two years with the franchise and finished his superb career as the Superbas’ player-manager 1910-13. Getting his wish to play for the Giants, he led the league in RBI in 1904 and provided great defense in the team’s first World Series win in ‘05.
- Dahlen is still being considered for Cooperstown. He came close in 2012, falling two votes short
- That year SABR’s 19th Century Committee named him the “Overlooked 19th Century Baseball Legend” recognizing great early players not in the Hall of Fame
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T201 Mecca Canvas: Ralph Stroud
- Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
- City: Cincinnati
- Team: Reds (NL)
- League: National League
Samuel Wright Jr. (1848-1928) has two brothers in the Hall of Fame: Harry and George. Alas, Sam’s .168 BA in 45 games over 4 seasons did not qualify him. Sam broke in with the New Haven Elm Citys of the NAPBP, considered by some a major league. Their 7-40 record led to their demise after one year.
- The Wright brothers’ father Sam was a prominent cricketer
- In Sam’s debut, he got a hit against brother Harry’s Red Stockings before being shellacked
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