scoreboard

ESPN, 1913 style.

Franklin and Greeley statues: digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm...

Looking at an enhanced version of this, the people are watching a scoreboard being updated with the plays shown on a baseball diamond sign. The game is between the Brooklyn Superbas (Dodgers) and the New York Giants. There is no score in the bottom of the third inning. It should be possible to date this picture by box scores. Something about the scoreboard they are watching: "The Evening Sun's electric scoreboard on which a ball is moved automatically about the diamond enables thousand of fans to follow every detail of the day's game." Pathe's Weekly, July 24, 1913 books.google.com/books?id=3Ew_AAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA558&... Before the advent of radio doomed them, these electric scoreboards attracted huge crowds in New York and elsewhere.

A date of 1912 was set by the Pictorial History Committee, Society for American Baseball Research, according to the notes above. However, with some enhancement the teams' rosters are legible, and the lineups match a game played at the Polo Grounds between the teams on June 24, 1913. The negative has a 1913 date written on it, though that is not dispositive. Casey Stengel, on the scoreboard lineup, did not make his major league debut until September 17, 1912, and the Giants did not play the Dodgers at the Polo Grounds after September 9 that season. Placement of the Brooklyn lineup on the left and the Giants on the right typically meant the game was played at the Giants' field. This is therefore the game of June 24, 1913 which Eddie Stack started for Brooklyn. He only lasted 3 innings, so this picture was taken early in the game. Stack was traded to the Cubs on August 5, 1913. select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60914FF3E5B1373... www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BRO/1912-schedule-scores... www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BRO/1913-schedule-scores... www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/stacked01.shtml www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/stengca01.shtml

Another 1913 baseball crowd:
collections.mcny.org/Doc/MNY/Media/TR3/d/e/a/7/M2Y9199.jpg

Pictured is Nassau Street, as it ends on Park Row. Here is a photo of the Tribune and Sun buildings circa 1885
collections.mcny.org/Doc/MNY/Media/TR3/4/b/1/9/MNY216908.jpg
And an aerial view from 1916, showing City Hall, the Globe, Sun, Tribune and Times buildings.
collections.mcny.org/Doc/MNY/Media/TR3/1/b/6/0/MNY217221.jpg
By 1916, the 5 story Sun Building had been replaced by a three story building:

Thanks for sharing the History.

According to our records (the blurb above), this test match took place in Sydney in 1930, however, I've done a bit of research and discovered that the 5th Test between England and Australia in 1930 actually took place at The Oval in London. It could be that we have either the date, or the venue wrong, Can anyone shed any light on this? - Emma

Fantastic picture !