[Rarebooks] baseball item #12 from the Norman Kane collection (FS)

[Peter B. Howard]

The End of Wilbert’s “Robins”


BROOKYN [NATIONAL LEAGUE] BASEBALL CLUB / Training Season 1931 [ = cover 
title] Original pumpkin colored wrappers (stains; transferred stains) 
lettered in silver, enclosing single sheet, 8 ½” x 14” folded cleverly 
three times to form a pamphlet shaped for carrying in an inner breast 
pocket on a jacket [ie, like an ABAA Directory, though rather less thick], 
with an amazing amount of information printed on one side and the reverse 
of one flap: Club officers and officials (Wilbert Robinson was manager); 
Hotels (nine:  Gray Moss Inn in Clearwater: the Plaza in Havana; Everglades 
in Miami; Dempsey in Macon, GA; the Chase in St. Louis; Schenley in 
Pittsburgh; Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia; Sinton in Cincinnati; 
Belmont in Chicago; Brunswick in Boston); Schedule of games (30); venues, 
including five in Havana; Railroad or Boat line with arrival and departure 
times when applicable; the 37 man roster with basics: age, bats L or R; 
Throws L or R; Height; Wgt; Won/Loss and e.r.a. for the pitchers (prior 
year); batting / fielding averages for position players (prior year); team 
played for in the prior year; and “Secured from” / “How Secured; Home 
Address”.   Only two players had been drafted; only four had been acquired 
by trade.  The balance were “purchased”.   A team not well remembered, we 
imagine. Van Lingo Mungo threw to Ernie Lombardi; Alfonso Lopez or Paul R. 
Richards.  Babe Herman hit for the cycle this year, twice.

             This was Robinson’s last year as Manager (since 1914); he had 
won 1375 games, winningest manager for the team in history, and Lombardi’s 
only year with the team – both would arrive at the Hall of Fame. Otherwise, 
Floyd C. “Babe” Herman hit for the cycle twice in 1931, the team would 
again end up in fourth place (79-73).  The following year the team would be 
renamed the Dodgers.

             An early media guide, not for the public, probably, but for 
the beat writers. $500.00





Peter B. Howard
Serendipity Books
1201 University Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94702
voice: (510) 841-7455
fax: (510) 841-1920
e-mail: pbhoward at serendipitybooks.com
http://www.serendipitybooks.com