Notice anything unusual?

[runningshoes]

Anyone notice anything unusual abouth this photograph?

It's the first time I've seen it. I see it in the Tour de France all the time, but never on the diamond.

[TonyK]

The third base coach has what looks like his number 23 patched onto the back of his uniform? Was he wearing someone else's maybe?

[wamby]

Maybe they added the numbers after the season began.

[GiambiJuice]

Is that Ty Cobb sliding into 3rd?

[flash143817]

Is that Ty Cobb sliding into 3rd?

I don't see the spikes leading, so probably not.

[Wade8813]

I don't see the spikes leading, so probably not

Of course not, he already hit the base.

[Seattle1]

What's the answer runningshoes? What are you seeing?

[wamby]

I don't know if Cobb ever played against a team that wore numbers on their backs. This photo looks to me like is's from the 30s.

[TonyK]

Since he hasn't told us yet, what is that little object in foul territory? A water bottle?

[Kenny14]

There are a few unusual things in this photograph:

1. The number on the coach’s uniform actually looks to be something slipped over the uniform. I also don’t see a number on the defender’s uniform, although if it were a single digit, it might not appear.
2. There is an object (looks like a shoe/cleat/glove) in front of the coach.
3. The umpire is in the worst possible position to make the call, unless he was in the stands.
4. I assumed at first that this was a play at third. After further review, I think it is a play at first. Look at the lack of grass in the middle of the photo and how the grass angles in on the right. Also the size of the glove (if this photo was taken in the 30’s or early 40’s), that’s a pretty big glove.

[wamby]

The object near the coach is probably the glove of someone who is on the team at bat. I think the play is at first also. Maybe it's a pick-off attempt.

[Brian McKenna]

yeah, it seems to be at first - why would the ump be positioned in foul territory for a pick-off? might be a rundown or a return to the base after a catch

[wamby]

The ump may have been stationed along the foul line. If it wasn't a post-season game, there were porbably only three umps and they probably postioned themselves differently then we are used to seeing.

[Brian McKenna]

i see but from the angle he's at he would have to be positioned at the foul line in front of first base probably blocking the runner and first baseman's line of sight to the plate - either way he's out of position even by 1930 standards

[wamby]

I was thinking that maybe he ran down the line, from the infield skin, to cover the play, but stayed in foul ground to avoid getting hit by a throw. The players ran the bases differently in the past, amybe this caused the umps to take different postions than they do today.

Or maybe this was spring training or an in-season exhibition and the ump was an amateur, and didn't know how to position himself.

[Brian McKenna]

okay but unless there is some sort of rundown play how could the ump have time to run anywhere during a simple pickoff?

[wamby]

I don't know. Maybe the ump positioned himself parallel to the bag.

[T Rip]

That's a glove in the foreground. Maybe the home ump followed the play up the line, I dunno...

[wamby]

The home ump would have probably been wearing a chest protector.

[Gee Walker]

The baserunner looks like George Kell. The "Detroit" written on the uniform could be from the 30's or 40's. Kell came to the Tigers in 1946. Gloves were left on the field until the early 50's.

The first baseman has a logo on his shirt that might be the interlocking NY of the Yankees. He's a big guy, throws right-handed. The trapper isn't very big - but it does have that rectangular shape to it. The Yankees went through loads of 1B after Gehrig got sick, until Johnny Mize more or less got the job in 1949. Mize did throw right-handed, and he was a big guy (6'2", 215 lbs.). Mize wore #36 for the Yankees, so I doubt if it was him.

The Tigers #23 in 1947 and 1948 was John McHale. That would make sense - a future MLB executive (and very marginal ballplayer) is brought up to be a player-coach.