Up until the 1950’s, Major League Baseball teams used their off-days to play exhibition games against minor league clubs. Besides giving small town fans the thrill of seeing real big leaguers up close, these games also provided much needed revenue for the teams. On July 26, 1915, the Chicago White Sox spent their off day playing the Class B Utica Utes of the New York State League.

     4,000 thousand fans turned up to see the White Sox and they more than got their money’s worth. Chicago jumped out to an early lead when they almost batted around in the fourth, scoring five runs. Eddie Collins, the Sox’ biggest star, went 3-5. 18 members of the White Sox, almost their entire roster, made an appearance in the game. With the outcome in the bag, the Chicagoans spent the remainder of the game clowning for the appreciative crowd. According to newspaper recap, Buck Weaver was the lead vaudevillian, entertaining the crowd by placing his hat on home plate, hitting from the opposite side and even freezing like a store mannequin as three strikes went past!

     This amazing artifact is one of the balls used during the game. The Spalding Official National League Tener Ball shows period scuff marks and toning consistent with a game used ball. The panels are neatly inscribed in bold black ink recording the game details. One panel lists the White Sox players: “1915 Exhibition White Sox vs. Utica. Donor, Weaver (S.S), Walsh, Pitchers, Faber, Cicotte, Klepver, Wolfgang, F.B. Fournier, S.B. E. Collins, T.B. Blackbourne, C. Schalk, Mayer, Daley, Murphy, J. Collins, Rowland, Leopold.” The other panel lists the Utica players: “McDonough MAN, Buck Pitcher, Walsh 1.B., Cranston 2nd B, O’Neil S.S., R. Evans T.B., Wagner L.F., Reichle C.F., Kroy R.F., Ahles C., Wa(obscured), Sherry P.” The ball has been coated with shellack and some of the surface has chipped away with age. However, this ball displays extremely well and is an attractive example of baseball folk art. The ball comes with a full LOA from MEARS (T03208).

Auction Notepad