The Beckett Blog

I picked up a small collection of photos of the 1950 Jackson (TN) Generals baseball team this week.

The Jackson Generals were a part of the KITTY League (Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee) from 1935-42 and 1950-54.

The KITTY League was a class D league. This wasn’t like watching AAA of today. Pitchers could be wild and players may have just graduated high school merely weeks before.

The photos are all snapshots of the players, mostly milling around the team bus either before or after a game. The photographer was kind enough to fill in personal details of the players depicted on the backs of the photos.

Example:

Aug. 6, 1950

Maurice Partain

“Maury”

“Sparky Joe”

Center Field, 1950

Nashville

For a collector and researcher like me, I LOVE finding photos with all this data so neatly spelled out on the back.

My favorite may be on KITTY League player and then manager Dominick Italiano’s photograph.

His nicknames are listed as “Dom,” “Spaghetti,” and of course “Irish.”

I think giving Mr. Italiano the nickname “Irish” is similar to calling the fat kid in gym class “Tiny.”

I think the most striking similarity many of the photos share is what the photographer caught the players doing. Many are in uniform, some with glove in hand, smoking a cigarette.

Now I realize that in 1950 that wasn’t such a big deal but just imagine walking around to the back of the stadium where the team bus is parked. Outside the bus you see many of your favorite players suited up and ready to play. Just before heading into the stadium, there is (fill in players name here) getting that last Camel in before today’s double header.

I can just imagine getting an autograph and the player has to place the cigarette in his mouth in order to free up both hands so he can sign!

Hey, game used ashes add any value?