blair

That was a nice catcher's mitt for 1912. Plenty of padding. The catcher had to catch two handed as it was still quite a few years before the mitt was hinged and had a web which allowed for one handed catching. Most catchers had numerous broken fingers over their careers. Catcher's gear was jokingly referred to as "tools of ignorance," but the catcher often was the most knowledgeable guy on the team, knowing how to handle pitchers and how opposing hitters batted and ran on the bases. Many baseball managers and coaches were at one time catchers, including Al Lopez, Ray Shalk, Branch Rickey, Yogi Berra, Connie Mack, Roger Bresnahan, Mike Scioscia, Joe Torre, Joe Girardi, Bill Dickey, Ned Yost, Mickey Cochrane, Del Crandall,and Bob Brenly,

And don't forget the insightful in-game commentary from the likes of Joe Garagiola and Tim McCarver.

Add to that list of catcher/managers Eric Wedge of the Seattle Mariners.

How could I forget Steve O'Neill of Detroit Tigers fame?

North American P-51C-10-NT Mustang 44-10947 "...SOC at Searcy Field, Stillwater, OK. Sold by War Assets Corp to Paul Mantz Feb 19, 1946 as NCX1202. Won 1946 and 1947 Bendix trophy races, placed second in 1948 Bendix trophy race. Registered as NC1202, placed 3rd in 1949 Bendix trophy race. Set coast to coast speed records in both directions in 1947. Purchased by Charles Blair and prepared for round the world record attempt as Excalibur III. Attempt pre-empted by Korean War. Set record New York-London time of 7 hr 48 min Jan 31, 1951, which still stands for piston-engined aircraft. First trans-polar flight from Norway to Fairbanks, AK May 29, 1951, winning Harmon Trophy. Now with Air and Space Museum as Excalibur III. Reported in 1990 as on display in Museum of Science and Industry, Los Angeles, CA" - J. Baugher

Lt Blair also features in an Australian War Memorial photograph of the officers of 11th Bn, AIF: www.awm.gov.au/collection/E01778/

There was an article in the Western Mail of 21 April 1938 referring to the publication of a history of the 11th Battalion AIF, asking potential subscribers to contact a R. W. Blair of 79 William Street, Perth; via Trove, the National Library of Australia's digitised newspaper collection: trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/37846948

Assuming that it is the same person, it appears that R. W. Blair was later Secretary of the 11th Battalion AIF Association, e.g. inviting members to attend the funeral of their former colleague Private Victor Charles (Joker) Speed at Karrakatta in 1933: trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/32594769

See also: trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/32946656

Robert Walton Blair, born Fremantle, WA; enlisted Kalgoorie, WA, 7 March 1915, aged 19; next of kin Mary Ellen Blair (mother). Digitised papers available from the National Archives of Australia:
recordsearch.naa.gov.au/NameSearch/Interface/ItemDetail.a...

There is a lot of detail in the records, but we know from them that he embarked for Alexandria at Fremantle on the 25 May 1915. He then spent some time in Egypt and the Dardanelles, but was hospitalised in October 1915 due to illness (enteritis), bad enough to be sent to hospital in England. He returned to Egypt before heading on to France in early 1916, being appointed Lance Corporal on 23 June 1916. He was promoted 2nd Lieutenant on 19 May 1917, then Lieutenant on 19 August 1917. In July 1918, he was seconded to the Australian Flying Corps for training as a Flying Officer Pilot, being based in England with 6th Training Squadron. He returned in Australia in 1919.

Links to further information (including the same photograph) at: anzacsonline.net.au/2012/11/blair-robert-walton/