Original glass plate negative picturing Hall of Fame outfielder
"Wee Willie" Keeler as a coach with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1912.
Keeler is pictured on field demonstrating his choked-up grip that enabled him
to “hit ‘em where they ain’t” during his long 19-year career. Keeler retired in
1910 but spent two years as a coach with Brooklyn in 1912 and 1913, before
serving in the same capacity with the Tip Tops of the Federal League in 1914.
Although Keeler was with the Dodgers for two seasons, the hat style shown here
was only used by the club in 1912. As a point of reference, an original Type I photograph
of this image, made from this very negative, realized $4,317 in Lelands’ 2021
Late Fall Classic Auction. The negative (5x7”) displays minor corner and edge
wear. In Very Good to Excellent condition. Culled from the legendary Brown
Brothers Photo Archive.