He had plenty of stories to tell, no doubt, but Swede Risberg was apparently loathe to say much about his short, but eventful big league career. Signed by Charlie Comiskey out of his lifelong home in northern California, Risberg was banned for life for his role in the 1919 Black Sox scandal. He lived until 1975, but rarely spoke about his four season big … [Read more...]
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After the Cheering: Photo of Hap Felsch Still Playing in 1932 at Auction
The big league careers of the Black Sox players ended in 1920, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t play baseball and get paid to do it. Several players including Joe Jackson, Buck Weaver, Chick Gandil and Oscar “Happy “ Felsch continued playing throughout the 1920s following their banishment by commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis. Felsch, in fact, was still swinging a bat … [Read more...]
Happy Felsch Rookie Year Photo at Auction
Four seasons before a bad decision would end a brilliant baseball career, Oscar “Happy Felsch”, the best baseball player ever to come out of Milwaukee, WI, was a 23-year-old big league newcomer. A photo capturing the arrival of a key member of the Black Sox into the major league fraternity is now up for auction. Originating with the Chicago Tribune Photo Bureau, the 5 … [Read more...]
Joe Jackson Photo in RMY Premier Auction
An original photo of Shoeless Joe Jackson is among the featured attractions in the newly launched Premier catalog event at RMY Auctions. The image, which measures about 5x8, shows Jackson in his first full season with the Chicago White Sox following the 1915 trade from Cleveland. Jackson is wearing a pinstriped uniform while taking a practice swing in front of the … [Read more...]
Photo of the Day: Buck Weaver, Hap Felsch in 1918
The Chicago White Sox were the kings of baseball in 1917 but dark clouds were forming as they reported to Mineral Springs, TX for spring training in 1918. Buck Weaver and Oscar ‘Happy’ Felsch reported to a shortened camp feeling like they could repeat their World Series title. Just about everyone, in fact, expected it. Sometimes things don’t turn out the way you’d … [Read more...]
1978 Book Store Find Yielded Baseball History…and Big Profit
A $200 investment in some World Series programs back in 1978 turned out to be a stellar investment for a Canadian collector. Owen Ricker, now 76, was visiting Los Angeles 38 years ago when he stopped into a book store and asked if they had any baseball-related items. At first, the answer seemed to be no but a check with the store owner produced a small stack of programs and … [Read more...]
Photo of the Day: Hap Felsch in 1919
The story of Oscar “Happy” Felsch could have been a rags to riches tale. Armed with only a sixth grade education but the skills of an all-time great, the affable Milwaukee native was one of the greatest players in the American League not long after joining the Chicago White Sox in 1916. He was a key player in the team’s 1917 World Series championship but like others in the … [Read more...]
New Discovery: 1914 Joe Jackson Photo at Auction
The new Federal League came calling for rising star Joe Jackson prior to the 1914 season, but Cleveland fans didn’t have to worry. Shoeless Joe wasn’t going anywhere…at least not for several months. The RMY Auctions Photo of the Day shows the baseball icon during his last full season in Ohio, a newly discovered image that sat in an archive for roughly 100 years. It’s among … [Read more...]
1940s Joe DiMaggio Jersey Paces Auction
A World War II era Joe DiMaggio game-used jersey sold for $169,400 early Sunday as Goldin Auctions wrapped up its first sale of 2015. The auction company says the jersey was likely the last one DiMaggio wore before he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943. The jersey has been in a private collection for many years. DiMaggio’s original number 5 was stripped away and replaced … [Read more...]
Black Sox Memorabilia Up for Grabs
Three lots of rare memorabilia connected to the most infamous event in baseball history will hit the auction block Monday when Goldin Auctions kicks off its first event of 2015. The items include a baseball autographed by 18 members of the "Black Sox" including six of the eight players fingered in the scandal; a paycheck from pitcher Eddie Cicotte signed by both Cicotte and … [Read more...]
