He already had a reputation as a bit of a character and when you put the 1916 Brooklyn Robins uniform on Casey Stengel, he looks almost like a fictional character.
Rest assured, the RMY Auctions Photo of the Day is the real Casey and a bit of a rare find.
The 3×5” image shows the future Hall of Fame manager in a portrait pose, with a sweet smile crossing his face (either that or he’d just done something he probably shouldn’t have). The vertical and horizontal lines on the Dodgers’ uniforms created sort of a plaid style pattern that was also utilized by the New York Giants at the same time.
The photo is from one of Casey’s best seasons. As a part-time right fielder for the Robins as a four-year veteran, he played a key role in getting Brooklyn to the World Series, according to teammates. Once there, he faced a young pitcher named Babe Ruth for the first time. Despite a .364 average, Casey would be a runner-up as the Red Sox won the title.
Stengel’s rookie card was issued during the 1916 season as well. He’s featured on one of the most important sets ever made, the M101-5 Sporting News issue (and its many cousins).
The Stengel image, which has an uneven cut but is otherwise in good condition with newspaper editing marks and paper residue on the back, is one of more than 300 vintage photographs at auction through this weekend. Most are from newspaper archives. Visit RMYAuctions.com to bid.
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