The Derby Winners

Here's a photo that caught my eye the other day while I was looking for something else. The image of a town baseball team christened "The Derby Winners" was donated to the Lucas County Historical Society by the late Virginia (George) Mart during 1985.

Eight names are written on the back, but I can't decipher the order and link them to specific faces. The names are Joe Parkin, Ben George, Lawrence Kyner, Fred Wyatt, Frank Garland, Lloyd Kyner, Kay Wolvertine and Glenn Bell.

I found references in Chariton newspapers to the Winners between 1902 and 1908, the approximate date of this image.

Here's a report from The Chariton Leader of July 7, 1904, headlined "Derby Won the Game" --- The base ball game between Russell and the Derby Winners resulted in a (6-2) victory for Derby.

Battery for Derby, Bell and Garland; for Russell, Anderson and Plotts. Mr. Anderson hails from Tingley and pitched the visiting team a magnificent game, although young in years he very ably filled his position. While on the other hand Bell pitched a nice game for the locals allowing (Russell) only five hits which were so well scattered that only netted them two runs which were made on errors. Various teams have met our boys on the grounds but none have exceeded the Russell team for their well behaviour, jolly good nature and nice ball playing. Millard Stripe umpired the game, pleasing to both teams as his decisions were just and right.

Gate receipts were $83.25. The game in forenoon between Chariton high school and Derby high school resulted in a victory for Derby with a score of 5 to 15.

Here's another report, this one from The Leader of Sept. 29, 1904: "For the benefit of those who are interested in ball games we give the following. Derby Winners and Lucas crossed bats Saturday, the third time in the past week, with a score of 13 to 3 in favor of the Winners. The fastest game of the season was played at Allerton on Thursday last; the Winners against Shane Hill. Only once did the latter get a man to third. (The final score was Derby, 3; Shane Hill, 0.)"

This image is kind of interesting in itself because it appears to be a high quality proof of a photoengraving, rather than a photograph, pasted to the card of a Humeston studio, G.W. Young & Co. That allowed the maker to print the name of the team on the image, making it a nice souvenir. But the process also reduced the clarity of the image a little.