Let’s Dive Into the Dead Ball Era Again! The 1910 Pittsburg Pirates!

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1909-10 Pittsburg Pirates Photo Gallery
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 Let’s Dive Into the Dead Ball Era Again!

Thanks to Don Stokes for sending me this great team photo of the 1910 Pittsburg Pirates. It’s amazingly clear for a photo from 1910…and even includes a few 1910-era photo bombs!

I worked on the player IDs for this one a number of years ago, and I think at the time I got most of them, but there were a few I wasn’t sure of. But Don also came up with the player identifications from a contemporary newspaper edition, so now we’re assured of the accuracy of all the names. (By the way, the name was spelled “Pittsburg” in 1910, without the “h” at the end).

1910 was the 29^th year of the existence of the franchise, and the 24^th as a member of the National League. They played in front of 436, 586 fans that year, their second in Forbes Field. As most of you are aware, the Pirates won the famous 1909 World Series against the Tigers. That’s the World Series that pitted the two great Dead Ball Era stars, Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner against each other. The Pirates won the showdown, four games to three, with Wagner staring for the Pirates, while Cobb had a disappointing series.

There’re many holdovers on this 1911 team from the 1909 team, so see how many you can come up with before looking at the IDs below. Under Fred Clarke’s leadership, they finished 86-67, third in the National League, 17 ½ games behind the pennant winning Cubs. 

Here’s a couple interesting tidbits:

-Deacon Phillippe was the starting pitcher in the very first World Series game in 1903, and remains one of the most under-appreciated pitchers from the Dead Ball Era.

-George Gibson was a future Pirates manager.

-There’s a set of major league brothers in the photo: Howie and Harry Camnitz

-There’s three Hall-of-Famers in the pic. Can you pick them out?

-Babe Adams was the rookie star of the 1909 World Series winning three games.

1910 Pittsburg Pirates Player Identifications:

Top Row, L-R: Willis Humphries, Bud Sharpe, Sam Frock, Vincent Campbell, Chick Brandom, Bill Powell, Lefty Moore, Nick Maddox, Eddie Bridges, Harry Camnitz, Dots Miller. Middle Row, L-R: Tommy Leach, Pat O’Connor, Lefty Leifield, Sam Leever, Deacon Phillippe, President Barney Dreyfuss, Chief Wilson, Ed Abbaticchio, Bobby Bryne, Honus Wagner (HOF). Front Row, L-R: Pitcher Cuttinn, Dolly Grey, Bill McKechnie (HOF), Mike Simon, Ham Hyatt, Babe Adams, Manager Fred Clarke (HOF), Cleon Webb, Howie Camnitz, George Gibson.

Gary Livacari

Photo Credits: Featured photo sent to me by Don Stokes: https://www.facebook.com/Don-Stokes-Old-Time-Baseball-Colorizations-923346241033508/; All others from Google search

Information: Excerpts edited from the Pittsburg Pirates Wikipedia page.