Original carte de visite (CDV), produced by photographer G. W. Barnes of Rockford, Illinois, capturing ten members of the 1871 Forest Citys Base Ball Club (Rockford, Illinois), including Cap Anson. PSA has encapsulated the CDV and certified it as "Authentic." To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of this rare team CDV to appear at auction and it may be the lone survivor. It is also just the second 1871 Rockford team CDV we have ever seen. (A completely different 1871 Forest Citys team CDV, which is also the only known example of its kind, appeared as Lot 15 in Lelands’ 2023 Fall Classic Auction.) Its rarity notwithstanding, the CDV also features the earliest image of Cap Anson as a professional player, making it one of the most historically significant baseball photos we have ever offered.
This CDV, along with the 1871 Boston Red Stockings CDV in this sale, was just recently discovered in a vintage nineteenth-century photo album. The album belonged to an elderly woman whose family originally lived in Rockford, Illinois. Both the Boston and Rockford CDVs were the only two baseball related photos in the album, which consisted mainly of photos picturing family members; however, several CDVs and cabinet cards of various circus figures and acrobats were also present, including Tom Thumb.
The composite CDV features portrait images of each player in formal attire, with the team’s name and year, “Rockford Forest Citys 1871,” printed near the base. Each player is identified in print (last name only) directly below his image. The players featured here are Anson, Hastings, Mack, Fisher, Bird, Sager, Addy, Ham, Osborn, and Ryan. The photographer’s credit, “G. W. Barnes – Photographer – Rockford, Ill.” Appears on the reverse.
The Forest Citys of Rockford, Illinois, played only one season in the National Association and it was hardly memorable. The team won just four of its 25 games and finished in last place. Despite the club's lowly standing, the talent of its nineteen-year-old starting third baseman, Adrian Anson, was hard to ignore. Anson, who had not yet earned the nickname "Cap, (he was called "Baby" Anson at the time), led the club in batting with a .325 average. He also led the league in doubles with eleven. Considered by many historians to be the most important player in nineteenth-century baseball history, Anson batted over .300 in twenty-four of his twenty-seven seasons and is generally considered to be the first player to amass 3,000 hits. As a manager, he won five pennants with the Chicago White Stockings, and is credited with several important coaching innovations, including the hit-and-run play, platooning, and a pitching rotation.
The CDV (2.5x4.25 inches) displays just modest handling wear, including minor toning on the reverse.
Estimated domestic USA shipping cost only. Does not include handling or insurance: $27 Please feel free to contact us for a more accurate shipping cost.