‘Take me out to the ball game!’

Isn’t this a great old photograph? It’s the members of the 1891 Rose Polytechnic Institute baseball team. The photographer really was creative in his positioning of the coach and players. There’s nice balance and you can clearly see each person’s face. And the men’s ascots are a wonderful touch!

This photo of the Rose Polytechnic Institute baseball team, dated as the 1890s, is vastly different than the previous photo. First of all, it’s obviously no studio photograph. It’s much more casual. Many of the players aren’t even looking at the camera! And the mustache is much bigger!

Both of these images are part of the collection of the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Archives, Logan Library.

Branch Rickey and Terre Haute, Indiana

Believe it or not, but Branch Rickey, noted president and general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers who signed Jackie Robinson to the team in 1945, has a connection to Terre Haute, Indiana. Yes, that Jackie Robinson, who broke the “color barrier” in major league baseball.

Back to Branch. On June 20, 1903, Branch made his professional baseball introduction at Terre Haute’s Athletic Park. He played pro ball only four years before coaching at the University of Michigan while working on his law degree. Eventually, Branch moved to the “suit side” of baseball and introduced many innovative ideas for managing the sport.

You can learn more about Branch Rickey and his influence upon baseball, by checking out this article by Vigo County Historian Mike McCormick. This article is part of the “Wabash Valley Profiles, a series of tributes to hometown heroes who have made a difference,” presented by First Financial Bank. Rickey’s tribute appeared in 1997.

Happy Easter!

This 1921 Easter postcard from Eugene V. Debs to Clytie Peterson of Milwaukee, Wisc., is an absolutely beautiful print. The young children gathering daffodils, holding hands as they walk up a path and holding a bouquet of flowers is very inviting.

The back side of the card is interesting, too. It seems that Debs liked poetry that rhymed. On the reverse side of the card, in what appears to be a child’s handwriting, is the following note: “I send this friendly little rhyme to wish you well at Easter-time.”

This postcard is part of the Special Collections Department at Indiana State University.

It’s time for spring cleaning!

Every time I look at this 1964 photograph from the Martin’s Photo Shop Collection, I have to chuckle. I just love that three women are working hard dusting, mopping or sweeping, while one woman stands with her one hand on her hip and her other hand resting on a table! These young ladies are members of Zeta Tau Alpha and they are busy cleaning their sorority suite at Indiana State University.

The photo above shows some industrious young women of the Chi Omega sorority polishing their many trophies. This 1963 photo is also part of the Martin’s Photo Shop Collection.

The Martin Collection is housed in the Indiana State University Archives at Cunningham Memorial Library.

Now that you’ve read this, go clean out a closet!

Silent films show Sullivan in late 1930s

An old photograph of the Sullivan County Public Library

If  you enjoyed the movie, “The Artist,” then you’ll love these two silent films taken in 1938 and 1939 in Sullivan, Indiana. The scenes in one film include cars, horses and buggies, people, children, school children, a Coca-Cola delivery truck, horse and laundry buggy, gas stations, service stations, dogs, medical care, coal miners, a baseball game, milkmen, tractors, cows, and a sign for the Davis Hotel. And just like today, the children push and shove one another to get in front of the camera and a few even stick out their tongues!

The scenes in the second film include a football game, W.V. Jennings Lumber Co., cars, the Sullivan Flying Club, a Gulf service station, people leaving a dry goods store, people leaving a church service, and aerial views of a baseball field and game, the town of Sullivan, and the Sullivan Courthouse. Take a gander at the football game. Those were tough dudes playing without helmets or much padding!

The films are part of the Sullivan County Public Library collection. The library is located at 100 S. Crowder Street in Sullivan. Enjoy these awesome moving images!

Now that’s a lot of mussel shells!

The photo above is incredible. While there is no date to accompany this image, there was the following description: “View of 29 tons of mussel shells lying next to the railroad tracks.” Twenty-nine TONS! This photograph is part of the collection of the Sullivan County Public Library in Sullivan, Indiana.

The above undated photograph shows two men taking a break from their work with mussel shells. This photo is part of the collection of the Sullivan County Historical Society. These old photographs show an amazing amount of mussel shells.

Just so you don’t get into trouble with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, please don’t collect mussel shells from public waters. Here’s what the DNR’s website says about this: “It is illegal to collect or take live or dead mussel shells from public waters. A ban on harvesting shells has been in effect since 1991 to protect against a rapid decrease in the abundance and distribution of mussels. Please do not disturb living mussels or take dead shells. It is illegal to possess live the following aquatic invasive mussels: Asiatic clam, quagga mussel and zebra mussel.”

Publication celebrates 50 years of UMWA District 11

“Please accept my heartiest congratulations on this momentous occasion, the celebration of your Golden Anniversary,” so began John Lewis, president of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), to the membership of District 11 in a 75-page publication celebrating the union.

These words of congratulations from Lewis appeared in the “Golden History 1890-1940: 50 Years of Progress and Achievement” publication of District 11 of the UMWA. This publication is chock-full of congratulatory ads, photos and historical information.

This publication is part of the collection of the Sullivan County Public Library. The library is located at 100 South Crowder Street in Sullivan, Indiana.