I was browsing the Library of Congress online image archive (as I'm often wont to do) when I came across this 1912 baseball card of Ty Cobb and Hughie (or "Hughey" according to the back of the card) Jennings issued by American Tobacco.
Hugh Jennings was awesome and maybe I'll mention him another day, but I just want to briefly talk about the action shot on the card. It's cropped from this 1909 (or was it 1910?) picture snapped by Charles Conlon.
This is likely the most famous image of Ty Cobb (and Conlon's most popular photograph), a great picture of him sliding into third and upending third baseman Jimmy Austin. You know Austin's going to eat the dirt because Cobb's momentum is taking him one way, and Austin is leaning the other (with his center of gravity all crazy). When you also notice that Austin isn't actually touching the ground then you know it's all over for him.
Cobb, as usual, appears vein-bustingly intense.
Some years after the picture was taken, somebody editted in a baseball to make the action appear more actionly (as if that were necessary). See if you can find it.
The real ball is somewhere in left field either due to the catcher's errant throw or due to Cobb's attempt to impale the fielder with his pointy spikes.
Anyway, I read about this fake ball many years ago, and ever since then everytime I come across the image I immediately look for the stupid thing. It appears in about 90% of the cropped pictures I see, which is why I made note of that baseball card. Even though it's a 1909/10 image appearing on a 1912 card, evidently the "ghost ball" hadn't yet snuck its way onto reprintings. I don't know who added it or when, I just know it distracts me. AND NOW IT WILL DISTRACT YOU.
As an aside, third base itself looks quite soft and comfortable.
Old timey baseball photographs are neat.
Old timey baseball is neat.
Hugh Jennings was awesome and maybe I'll mention him another day, but I just want to briefly talk about the action shot on the card. It's cropped from this 1909 (or was it 1910?) picture snapped by Charles Conlon.
This is likely the most famous image of Ty Cobb (and Conlon's most popular photograph), a great picture of him sliding into third and upending third baseman Jimmy Austin. You know Austin's going to eat the dirt because Cobb's momentum is taking him one way, and Austin is leaning the other (with his center of gravity all crazy). When you also notice that Austin isn't actually touching the ground then you know it's all over for him.Cobb, as usual, appears vein-bustingly intense.
Some years after the picture was taken, somebody editted in a baseball to make the action appear more actionly (as if that were necessary). See if you can find it.
The real ball is somewhere in left field either due to the catcher's errant throw or due to Cobb's attempt to impale the fielder with his pointy spikes.Anyway, I read about this fake ball many years ago, and ever since then everytime I come across the image I immediately look for the stupid thing. It appears in about 90% of the cropped pictures I see, which is why I made note of that baseball card. Even though it's a 1909/10 image appearing on a 1912 card, evidently the "ghost ball" hadn't yet snuck its way onto reprintings. I don't know who added it or when, I just know it distracts me. AND NOW IT WILL DISTRACT YOU.
As an aside, third base itself looks quite soft and comfortable.
Old timey baseball photographs are neat.
Old timey baseball is neat.
