1887 Oshkosh Team Cabinet Including Dummy Hoy, Frank Selee and Tommy McCarthy

Sold For:

$6,380

Year:

1887

Auction:

2006 Spring

Lot #:

29

Category:

Pre-1900 Baseball Cards (1830-1899)

Extremely rare and desirable team cabinet photo capturing the 1887 Oshkosh Base Ball Club, champions of the Northwestern League. This is the only example known of this historically important team cabinet, the significance of which lies in part in the fact that it features William Ellsworth Hoy, more commonly referred to as "Dummy" Hoy. Hoy, who was a deaf-mute, is one of baseball's more legendary figures. It is commonly believed that to specifically accommodate his handicap, umpires adopted hand signals to correspond with the vocal calls of "strike," "out," and "safe." Joining Hoy on this star-studded roster are Hall of Fame manager Frank Selee, who would later lead the Boston Nationals to five pennants during the 1890s, Hall of Fame outfielder Tommy McCarthy, and eleven others who appeared on a Major League roster at some point in their respective careers: Thomas Lovett, Taylor Shaffer, John Doran, Dan Shannon, Jim Burns, William Burdick, Cornelius Murphy, Ed Gastfield, James Cooney, George Wilson and Pat O'Connell. All of the players are pictured in formal attire as they pose together in a studio setting. This is an extraordinary cabinet with elaborate red printing on the reverse that identifies not only the year and team, but each player as well. The name of the photographer, "Ely," also appears on the reverse. The 1887 season marked "Dummy" Hoy's final year in the minors. In the fourteen seasons that followed, Hoy played with seven different clubs and is one of only twenty-nine players to have played in four major leagues (National League, American Association, Players League, and American League). Both an outstanding offensive and defensive player, he finished his career with 2,044 hits, 594 stolen bases, and a lifetime average of .287. Tommy McCarthy, too, would never return to the minors after the 1887 season. He was later reunited with manager Frank Selee in Boston, where he and teammate Hugh Duffy formed the famed outfield duo known as "The Heavenly Twins." McCarthy was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1946. There are very few cards featuring Frank Selee, who was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1999. The cabinet card (6.5 x 4.25 inches) has some light general wear, displays some wear to the naturally rounded (as made) corners, and is in overall Very Good to Excellent condition. Reserve $1,000. Estimate $2,000/$3,000. SOLD FOR $6,380.00