What happened to this Yankee stadium?
August 22, 2011 by TimHughes · 1 Comment
A question for all the Yankee fans out there: what happened to this stadium?
The March 29, 1914 issue of the “New York Times” shows the “…Plans For Yankees Park…” with a detailed drawing captioned: “How the Yankees’ Ball Yard at 225th Street and Broadway Will Look When it is Completed.” and beneath which is a detailed article headed: “Yankees’ New Park To Hold 40,000 Fans” “Double-Deck Grand Stand of Steel and Concrete to be Completed in September“. The article (see photos) provides many details of the new ball park, however I can find no record of it being built.
The Yankee website notes that the team shared the Polo Grounds with the Giants from 1913 through the early 1920’s until the stadium called the “House that Ruth Built” was ready for use in 1923. Does anyone know the history of this “mystery stadium” supposedly built in 1914?
Actual headlines in 2002…
August 20, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
We offer thanks to fellow collector Morris Brill for the following headlines which appeared in 2002:
“Something Went Wrong In Jet Crash, Experts Say”
“Police Begin Campaign To run Down Jaywalkers”
“Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over”
“Teacher Strikes Idle Kids”
“Miners Refuse To Work After Death”
“Juvenile Court To Try Shooting Defendant”
“War Dims Hope For Peace”
“If Strike Isn’t Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile”
“Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges”
“Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead”
“Kids Make Nutritious Snacks!”
“New Study Of Obesity Looks For Larger Test Group”
(more later!)
The Civil War… 150 years ago today… August 17, 1861
August 17, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
We continue our weekly feature of reflecting upon the appropriate 150 year old issue of “Harper’s Weekly” from the perspective of a subscriber in 1861:
This week’s edition (for August 17, 1861) has more prints of some leading officers in the war, including Generals McDowell & Mansfield, and Flag Officer Stringham and Col. Blair. Sometimes war-related prints include prints of famous places I’ve never seen, such as the print of Boston soldiers marching off to war, in front of the famous Faneuil Hall. There are some follow-up prints concerning the Battle of Bull Run, including a print of “A Fire Zouave Relating His Experience of the Battle of Bull Run in the Street at Washington.” Their uniforms are fascinating.
Speaking of uniforms the doublepage centerfold is a great display of 23 different types of uniforms worn by the Confederate Army–an interesting array of costumes! There is an interesting full page print of a: “Stampede of Slaves From Hampton to Fortress Monroe”, but the most sickening print I’ve seen this far is a full page of: “The Rebels Bayoneting Our Wounded on the Battlefield at Bull Run”. Such brutality!
Tombstone was about to fade away…
August 13, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
Having offered several Tombstone newspapers from its brief heyday in the late 19th century, I thought you would find this article from the “Prescott Journal-Miner” of Arizona, July 8, 1930, interesting. Having visited Tombstone about 3 years ago I can assure all that it does survive, albeit primarily as a partially reconstructed tourist attraction. It’s a fun town to visit if ever in Southern Arizona:
The Civil War… 150 years ago today… August 10, 1861
August 10, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
We continue our weekly feature of reflecting upon the appropriate 150 year old issue of “Harper’s Weekly” from the perspective of a subscriber in 1861:
With all the battle action to report it is interesting that the front page (of my August 10, 1861 issue) is taken up with a literary piece. But there is much inside on the Battle of Bull Run, including a full page: “Retreat of our Troops from Bull Run, by Moonlight…” and a very dramatic full page print: “Charge of the Black Horse Cavalry Upon the Fire Zouaves at the Battle of bull Run”. This print shows very hot hand-to-hand combat. It must have been not only brutal, but very confusing with every foot filled with charging soldiers. Yet another print shows “Carrying in the Wounded at the Battle of Bull Run”. I can only imagine the total carnage.
Elsewhere is a nice half page print of: “Sandy Hook Hqts. of Col. Stone, on the Upper Potomac”. And if I thought last week’s centerfold was dramatic, this one has to be even better. It’s a large print showing hundreds of soldiers, a few on horseback, with dead and dying soldiers . Smoke and bursting bombs fill the air, yet the gallantry seems incredible as the soldiers charge in very close quarters. I notice several Negro soldiers as well. And if this was not sufficient, there is yet another very dramatic full page print of the: “Gallant Charge of the 69th Reg….Upon a Rebel Battery at the Battle of Bull Run”.
There is a very nice full page “Map of the Seat of War in Virginia” showing from Washington, D.C. to Staunton, Va. & the site of the Bull Run battle. There there is a “Balloon View of Fortress Monroe & the Mouth of the Chesapeake”. I didn’t realize that the fort is connected to the mainland by a very narrow strip of land. I can see what it is important in the protection of the harbor.
A marvelous development in engineering (?)…
August 8, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
Sometimes the simple reports we find in newspapers lead to a much more fascinating back story than was anticipated. Such was the case with an interesting report in “The Cleveland Leader” of May 17, 1875, which contained a very lengthy & detailed article headed: “A Wonderful Discovery!” “A New Motor!” “The Days of Steam Probably Numbered”. Not knowing of any new motor created in the 1870’s I did some exploring and learned much about Mr. John Keely and the great hoax he perpetrated on the public.
See the hyperlink on Mr. Keely for the full story along with the following:
The Civil War… 150 years ago today… August 3, 1861
August 3, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
We continue our weekly feature of reflecting upon the appropriate 150 year old issue of “Harper’s Weekly” from the perspective of a subscriber in 1861:
Women prisoners? I was astounded to see the front page print (of my August 3, 1861 issue) of two women in a cart, surrounded by guards, captioned: “Bringing in the Misses Scott as Prisoners to Fall’s Church, Va.” But the interesting article relates the fascinating circumstances which lead to their arrest. The front page also has a nice battle scene captioned: “the Death of the Rebel General Garnett at the Battle of Laurel Hill”.
Inside pages include a nice print of General McClellan, a scene of an ax wielding African-American about to: “…Attack Of The Second Mate”, and a nice full page print of: “The Battle of Carthage, Missouri”. the latter shows both the Yankees & Confederates on either side of a stream.
There is also a print of the “Camp of the First Brigade of the Confederate Army…”. I wonder how they get those prints from the other side of the battle lines? One of the most dramatic prints I have ever seen in “Harper’s Weekly” is the centerfold in this issue, captioned; “Colonel Hunter’s Attack at the Battle of Bull’s Run”. The print shows hundreds & hundreds of soldiers, in very close ranks, charging towards the Confederates in the distance. Their are bombs bursting in the air, and soldiers falling from wounds, and officers on horseback as well. It’s a very dramatic scene! There are a few other prints relating to Bull’s Run as well.
The Civil War… 150 years ago today… July 27, 1861
July 27, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
We continue our weekly feature of reflecting upon the appropriate 150 year old issue of “Harper’s Weekly” from the perspective of a subscriber in 1861:
The front page (of the July 27, 1861 issue) prints of General Prentiss and Brigadier-General Williams are nice, allowing the subscribers to put a real “face” on the names appearing in the daily newspaper battle accounts. I always look forward to prints of our military leaders. The front page also has a scene of soldiers marching from Boonville, Missouri, to the Arkansas border.
A full page is taken up with a dramatic print of “The Battle of Rich Mountain, Virginia” showing a very daring charge of solders. I can only imagine the petrifying fear of the soldiers. I also love the great full page print of a “Balloon View of Washington, D.C.” offering a perspective not appreciated from ground level. The huge dome of the Capitol is only partially complete, and the streets of the city are both perpendicular and diagonal–an unusual look which would seem to be confusing. Another print includes a “Review of the New York Troops…” in front of the White House. What a huge edifice!
Interesting wording of an obituary…
July 23, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The photo shows an obituary of Lady Oglethorpe as found in the “Country Journal Or the Craftsman” newspaper from London, July 1, 1732. It is always interesting to see how differently reports were presented several hundred years ago:
The Civil War… 150 years ago today… July 20, 1861
July 20, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
We continue our weekly feature of reflecting upon the appropriate 150 year old issue of “Harper’s Weekly” from the perspective of a subscriber in 1861:
Today’s issue (July 20, 1861) has the front page taken up with two prints on the progress of “Filling Cartridges at the U.S. Arsenal at Watertown, Mass.”, which involves a surprising number of women. There are two interesting pages with a dozen prints of “Scenes About Camp” showing some of the activities while in recreation (dancing & acrobatics!) as well as practicing for warfare. These scenes offer a different view of soldier life; one away from the battle field. I can imagine relaxing & recreation is a welcome diversion.
One print has a scene of soldiers with Hagerstown, Maryland, in the background, and a few other prints have scenes of Harper’s Ferry, just a few years after the John Brown raid. Very impressive is the doublepage centerfold showing “The Navy Yard at Brooklyn…” which shows several massive sailing ships. And yet another print shows that not all soldiers wear the traditional garb, as “Irregular Riflemen of the Alleghanies, Virginia” are in frontier clothing. How can those involved in a fight tell the enemies from their fellow soldiers?




