This undated photograph of an upside down Jayne Mansfield in a very sheer blouse was taken by a UPI photographer and is captioned “Jayne Mansfield in a satire of Las Vegas striptease.” Continue reading
New York City commercial photographer John S. Johnston took this photo a few minutes before 1:00 pm on a lively day in 1895. We are looking north from 33rd Street where Sixth Avenue and Broadway converge to form Herald Square.
This vantage point from the Sixth Avenue Elevated station’s platform was a favorite for many photographers in the 19th century.
In the center stands the New York Herald newspaper building. The paper had just moved from Park Row to its new headquarters, designed by McKim Mead and White, in 1893.
A train is about to pull into the Sixth Avenue Elevated 33rd Street Station. Trolleys and horse drawn carriages share Broadway’s wide street and the sidewalks are crowded with pedestrians.
The large painted advertisement on the side of its building marks the eight story Hotel Normandie which was completed in 1884 and located at Broadway and 38th Street.
Years after our photograph of Herald Square was taken, the Hotel Normandie received a new advertising sign, but not for advertising the hotel.
On June 18, 1910 the Hotel Normandie unveiled one of the largest moving illuminated advertising signs in the world on its roof. The sign showed a Roman chariot race with three chariots appearing to race one another speeding around an arena. The sign had 20,000 white and colored lights and astounded crowds of people who gawked at its illusion of movement.
From the photograph above Continue reading
Reese Safe at Second on Long Double
New York: Pee Wee Reese of the Brooklyn Dodgers slides safely into second in third inning of game with the St. Louis Cardinals at Ebbets Field July 23. Al Schoendienst dives in vain for the putout, but is too late. The two umpires calling the play are Art Gore (left) and Scotty Robb. Cardinals won 5-4. Credit: Acme 7/23/49
The fact that there are two umpires about to call this play is not so unusual. What makes it strange is that Continue reading
Man o’ War at age 22 in 1939 at Faraway Farm near Lexington, KY. photo: Associated Press
Churchill Downs is packed awaiting the 75th running of the Kentucky Derby. Here the fans watch the running of the 2nd race, in a prelude to the big race. May 7, 1949 photo: Associated Press
The Kentucky Derby, which will be run this weekend is the first leg of the triple crown of American horse racing. When a horse wins the Kentucky Derby, the inevitable talk begins: can the winning horse go on to take the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes? To win all three races is considered the measure of a great horse.
But Man o’ War (1917 – 1947) possibly the greatest horse of all-time never won the 1920 Kentucky Derby because Continue reading
This unusual view was taken from the top of the New York tower of the Brooklyn Bridge around 1905. Lower Manhattan is in transition from low rise buildings to the ever increasing number of skyscrapers dotting the landscape.
We see smoke rising from many chimneys. Elevated trains make their way across the Brooklyn Bridge while many pedestrians use the bridge’s center walkway.
Near the waterfront atop a building, the Uneeda Biscuit Company billboard is conspicuously advertising one of the most popular turn-of-the-century brands right next to the heavily trafficked bridge.
Postcard Brooklyn Bridge transportation terminal shed on Park Row c. 1905
At the end of the bridge on Park Row, the four and a half story shed structure is the transportation center also called Continue reading
This is Marjorie Lottie Collyer, age 8, of Bishopstoke, Hampshire, England.
From the same photograph, this is Marjorie’s mother, Charlotte Collyer, age 30 also of Bishopstoke, Hampshire, England.
Both survived the sinking of the Titanic.
The utter despair in Charlotte Collyer’s eyes are apparent as she looks away from the photographer. Daughter Marjorie with her youthful eyes, stares hauntingly straight into the lens of the camera. The unknown future had to weigh heavily on these two survivors minds.
There is something strikingly modern in Marjorie’s face and expression. She looks so similar to so many children you see today.
Here is the entire photograph of Charlotte and Marjorie Collyer sitting together in June 1912.
A Titanic White Star line blanket drapes Charlotte’s lap as the two sit on a porch swing in Payette Valley, Idaho.
Harvey Collyer, Charlotte’s husband and Marjorie’s father, went down with the Titanic, one of over 1,500 people who perished on April 15, 1912.
Harvey Collyer had sold his grocery business and the family was headed from England to New York aboard the Titanic and then on to Idaho where he intended to start a fruit farm. Harvey also hoped a change of climate would help his wife’s fragile health. When the Titanic sank, Harvey was holding all of the family’s savings in his wallet. Continue reading
President William Howard Taft throws out the ceremonial first pitch at opening day -1911.
President McKinley was invited to the Baltimore Orioles National League opening day in 1897, and though he assured the team he would try to make it to the game, he ended up not going. Had McKinley attended he might have been the first president to attend baseball’s opening day and throw out a ceremonial first pitch.
In 1910 President William Howard Taft threw a ceremonial first pitch to begin the baseball season. Taft, threw the baseball from the grandstand to pitcher Walter Johnson, but catcher Gabby Street who Taft was supposed to throw it to, took the ball from Johnson and promptly put the ball in his pocket to keep as a souvenir. Later, Street returned the baseball to Johnson who went on to pitch a one-hit, 3-0 shutout against the visiting Philadelphia Athletics.
After the game Johnson sent the ball to the White House to have it autographed by Taft. President Taft returned the ball to Johnson with this inscription: “To Walter Johnson, with the hope that he may continue to be as formidable as in yesterday’s game. William H. Taft.”
Since then it has become a tradition for the president to attend baseball’s opening day and toss a pitch.
President Woodrow Wilson with his wife Edith at opening day – 1916.
It was relatively easy for the president to show up at opening day with the Washington Senators having their home games at Griffith Stadium from 1911 – 1961, only five miles from the White House.
In recent years many presidents have shirked the tradition and have attended only one or two opening games during their presidential tenure. While he was President, Jimmy Carter never attended an opening day, but did throw out a ceremonial first pitch at the 1979 World Series. In his eight years as commander-in-chief Barack Obama has only attended one opening day.
Here is a gallery of president’s at opening day.
President Warren G. Harding at opening day – 1922. Continue reading
Movie Stars Twinkle At Own Party
Hollywood, Calif. – It was a dead heat when Boris Karloff (right) and James Cagney, screen menaces, exchanged leers on meeting at the first annual gambol of the Screen Actor’s Guild held here March 14. Credit line – Acme 3/16/40
Useful / Useless tidbits
The French Society of Mental Sciences in 1937 asked Boris Karloff to fill out an extensive 58 page questionnaire about his own mental health. The psychiatrists who put together the questionnaire were trying to determine how all the horror versus sympathetic roles Karloff had played on screen had affected his real life. Continue reading
Photograph 1 Times Square at night
The glow of streetlights wash out some portions of this interesting view of Broadway looking south from 43rd Street in Times Square. But for the most part, many details can be seen in this unusual nighttime view taken by The Detroit Publishing Company. There was no date associated with the picture at the Library of Congress which archives the Detroit Publishing Company’s holdings; it is listed as circa 1900-1915. So how can narrow down an approximate date?
The main clue is in the marquee of George M. Cohan’s Theatre on Broadway and 43rd Street which heralds the musical The Little Millionaire which ran from September 25, 1911 through March 9, 1912.
The other clues are the billboards posted on the building to the right of the Cohan theatre advertising Broadway productions; one proclaiming “It’s a Hitchcock Conquest”; another for Mrs. Fiske, and another for a drama called Bought and Paid For. Raymond Hitchcock’s play The Red Widow ran from November 6, 1911 to February 24, 1912. Bought and Paid For had a long run from September 26, 1911 until October 1912. But the advertisement that narrows the date down is for a musical titled Peggy which only ran from December 7, 1911 to January 6, 1912. Of course the advertisement could have remained up after the show had closed, but with ad space being valuable in Times Square, it is unlikely.
Checking the Library of Congress’ holdings we find a second similar photo almost certainly taken the same night of Times Square from 46th Street looking south,
Photograph 2 Times Square at night
A few more interesting things to notice while zooming in on the details of the second photograph: Continue reading
Feb 14, 1956 — New York Giants star outfielder Willie Mays, 25, is shown with his bride of a few hours, Marguerite, (Wendelle), 27, at her home in Elmhurst, New York, after their wedding in Elkton, Maryland, early on February 14th. It is Willie’s first and her third marriage. En route to Elkton, Mays was arrested for driving 70 miles an hour on the New Jersey turnpike and paid a $15 fine. photo – Associated Press
Baseball players traditionally have never had any trouble attracting women, see Jim Bouton’s book Ball Four for more details on the subject.
Today, the public has an unquenchable and somewhat bizarre fascination for baseball stars and their private lives which extends to what their spouses look like. Just search “baseball wives” to get an idea.
There was a reality TV program in 2011 called Baseball Wives that aired eight episodes on VH1 before being canceled. Comprised mostly of ex-wives of ballplayers, the show apparently did not intrigue enough viewers even if the women were “hot”. 
Generally the wives of baseball players keep a low profile with some exceptions like video star Tawny Kitean who was once arrested for spousal abuse of her then husband, pitcher Chuck Finley.
In the old days baseball wives pretty much wanted to stay out of the limelight and usually did.
With that said you may never have seen these old time baseball stars together with their wives. So we present a short gallery.
Bill Dickey and wife Violet Arnold
Yankee Catcher and Bride To Be
Bill Dickey, first string catcher on the world champion New York Yankees, and his bride-to-be, Violet Arnold of Jackson Heights, N.Y. They are shown as they attended the wedding of Sammy Byrd to Miss Rachel Smith of Birmingham, ALA., at St. Malachy’s Church, N.Y., October 4, when Dickey served as best man. They will be married in the next few days. – Associated Press Photo 10/4/32Dizzy Dean and wife Patricia Nash
Cardinals Invade Detroit
Jerome “Dizzy” Dean, the biggest half of baseball’s greatest brother team, and Mrs. Dean read telegrams wishing success, shortly after their arrival in Detroit, MI., Oct. 2nd, for the World Series with the Tigers. – Credit Line Acme 10/2/34
Eddie Mathews and wife Virjean Lauby
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