Lot # 271: 1911 Oneonta Team Postcard w/Heinie Stafford & Other Future Major Leaguers

Category: Baseball Postcards

Starting Bid: $50.00

Bids: 8 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Summer, 2020 Auction",
which ran from 11/13/2020 7:13 AM to
8/30/2020 7:23 AM



Much like the story of Moonlight Graham Henry "Heinie" Stafford established his page in the Baseball Encyclopedia by playing one single game for the New York Giants on October 5 1916. In that game Stafford pinch hit for Giants' pitcher George Smith making the season-ending out for the Giants and ensuring the Brooklyn Dodgers would take the National League pennant. In 1917 Stafford accepted a job as a research chemist and while he did play in various industrial leagues afterward he would never play pro ball again. Stafford is pictured here in the uniform of the Oneonta team in New York's hotel leagues in 1911. The team photo includes several other future major leaguers including pitcher Joe Conzulman (who pitched in 54 games with the 1913-15 Pittsburgh Pirates) utilityman Ken Nash (who played 35 games with the 1912 Naps and 1914 Cardinals) and catcher Wally Snell who played in six games with the 1913 Boston Red Sox. The postcard which appears in VG/EX condition but has been postally used appears to have been mailed from Oneonta by a player. An exceptional document of baseball's early town and factory leagues and with four future major leaguers on one team a testament to how competitive those leagues could be.