1. Baseball is like a poker game. Nobody wants to quit when he’s losing; nobody wants you to quit when you’re ahead.

    — 

    Jackie Robinson

    On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers becoming the first black man since 1880 to play for Major League Baseball. 

    Check out NYPL’s collection of books about the iconic Jackie Robinson!  

  2. In honor of both NY teams opening the 2013 baseball season, we thought we’d share this image from our Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints, and Photographs depicting Yankee “second sacker” Aaron Ward getting thrown out at third base in the fourth inning of the first-ever game played at (the now old) Yankee Stadium on April 18, 1923. The Yanks beat the Red Sox 4-1 (behind a homer by Babe Ruth), and are hoping for a similar result today when they face their Boston rivals. So let’s go Yanks and Mets! Tons more baseball photos in our Digital Gallery.  

    In honor of both NY teams opening the 2013 baseball season, we thought we’d share this image from our Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints, and Photographs depicting Yankee “second sacker” Aaron Ward getting thrown out at third base in the fourth inning of the first-ever game played at (the now old) Yankee Stadium on April 18, 1923. The Yanks beat the Red Sox 4-1 (behind a homer by Babe Ruth), and are hoping for a similar result today when they face their Boston rivals. So let’s go Yanks and Mets! Tons more baseball photos in our Digital Gallery.  

  3. For this week’s Mustache Monday - the first in the month of Movember (no that’s not a typo) - we have another unidentified man whose portrait is in the A.G. Spalding Baseball Collection. This means he has something to do with either cricket or baseball, but we don’t know much more. The inscription along the bottom of the photo reads, “Bailey, San Fran co.” albumen print ; 10 x 6 cm. The A.G. Spalding Baseball Collection. NYPL, Photography Collection, Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photograph.

    For this week’s Mustache Monday - the first in the month of Movember (no that’s not a typo) - we have another unidentified man whose portrait is in the A.G. Spalding Baseball Collection. This means he has something to do with either cricket or baseball, but we don’t know much more. The inscription along the bottom of the photo reads, “Bailey, San Fran co.”

    albumen print ; 10 x 6 cm. The A.G. Spalding Baseball Collection. NYPL, Photography Collection, Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photograph.

  4. Francis C. Richter, influential baseball personality and editor of Sporting Life, which was published from 1883-1917. Research nerds may visit the Periodicals division to read Sporting Life on microfilm. Happy Mustache Monday! Source: The A. G. Spalding Baseball Collection

    Francis C. Richter, influential baseball personality and editor of Sporting Life, which was published from 1883-1917. Research nerds may visit the Periodicals division to read Sporting Life on microfilm. Happy Mustache Monday!

    Source: The A. G. Spalding Baseball Collection

  5. Portrait of unidentified man with mustache wearing a suit, bow tie and glasses. Photograph made at the Cincinnati studio of Charles Waldack, 28 West 4th Street. Picture in the A.G. Spalding Baseball Collection. Any baseball historians care to hazard a guess as to who this is? Help the library with identification! And, of course, happy Mustache Monday.

    Portrait of unidentified man with mustache wearing a suit, bow tie and glasses. Photograph made at the Cincinnati studio of Charles Waldack, 28 West 4th Street. Picture in the A.G. Spalding Baseball Collection.

    Any baseball historians care to hazard a guess as to who this is? Help the library with identification!

    And, of course, happy Mustache Monday.

  6. We swear this is an actual historic photograph (c. 1860), not an Instagram filter — No one would cultivate such amazing sideburns in this day and age. Happy Mustache Monday! Here’s what 19cBaseball.com has to say about the subject: Joseph B. Leggett, Captain of the famed Brooklyn Excelsiors. Leggett was one of the early baseball stars in the 1850s and was the catcher for the Brooklyn All-Star Club which lost to the New York All-Star Club on July 20, 1858 in the first of three Great Base Ball Matches. Because of his play and sure hands, pitcher Jim Creighton was able to throw his overpowering fast balls. Leggett served in the Civil War and upon returning to New York finished his career as a short stop to compensate for the diminished strength in his throwing arm.

    We swear this is an actual historic photograph (c. 1860), not an Instagram filter — No one would cultivate such amazing sideburns in this day and age. Happy Mustache Monday!

    Here’s what 19cBaseball.com has to say about the subject:

    Joseph B. Leggett, Captain of the famed Brooklyn Excelsiors. Leggett was one of the early baseball stars in the 1850s and was the catcher for the Brooklyn All-Star Club which lost to the New York All-Star Club on July 20, 1858 in the first of three Great Base Ball Matches. Because of his play and sure hands, pitcher Jim Creighton was able to throw his overpowering fast balls. Leggett served in the Civil War and upon returning to New York finished his career as a short stop to compensate for the diminished strength in his throwing arm.

  7. Some delightful photos from the Library’s A.G. Spalding Collection are currently blowing up around the internet, so we thought you Tumblr fans would like to see them, too.  Click through for more.

    Some delightful photos from the Library’s A.G. Spalding Collection are currently blowing up around the internet, so we thought you Tumblr fans would like to see them, too. 

    Click through for more.

  8. Happy Mustache Monday!

    This is Charlie Gould, who played ball for the Cincinnati Red Stockings, among other teams. According to Harry Ellard’s book Baseball in Cincinnati: A History, he was one of the more affable players in the league and his fielding prowess was so well known that fellows called him “the bushel-basket.”

    We have a photo of his wife Laura, as well, so she joins him as a special, non-mustached Mustache Monday guest.

    (Source: digitalgallery.nypl.org)

  9. Hey, Connecticut - today’s Mustache Monday is for you. This is former US senator, governor, mayor of Hartford, and influential businessman Morgan G. Bulkeley. His photo resides in the library’s A. G. Spalding Baseball Collection because he formed the Hartford Dark Blues in 1874 and was the first president of the National League when it was created in 1876.  According to the Baseball Hall of Fame, where he was inducted in 1937, “He was able to enhance the overall image of the league when he decided to target issues as illegal gambling, drinking and fan rowdiness.” 

    Hey, Connecticut - today’s Mustache Monday is for you. This is former US senator, governor, mayor of Hartford, and influential businessman Morgan G. Bulkeley. His photo resides in the library’s A. G. Spalding Baseball Collection because he formed the Hartford Dark Blues in 1874 and was the first president of the National League when it was created in 1876. 

    According to the Baseball Hall of Fame, where he was inducted in 1937, “He was able to enhance the overall image of the league when he decided to target issues as illegal gambling, drinking and fan rowdiness.” 

    (Source: ctheritage.org)

  10. For this week’s Mustache Monday, you get eight mustaches in one. This image, from our A. G. Spalding Baseball Collection, only specifies “Chicago” as a clue to who these gentlemen were. Any baseball fans care to weigh in? 

    For this week’s Mustache Monday, you get eight mustaches in one. This image, from our A. G. Spalding Baseball Collection, only specifies “Chicago” as a clue to who these gentlemen were. Any baseball fans care to weigh in?