Historic Hood River
Ty Cobb?
3-29-2019
Notes
No, it’s Harry Dewitt in 1903. Someone (presumably his wife) humorously inscribed “Ty Cobb” under this portrait in a family album. We can assume the album was prepared sometime later, as Ty Cobb wouldn’t become a household name for a couple of years after 1903.
Charlott
I think we can tell who it was that probably took the picture, Pansy herself from the big brim hat shadow.
That was quite the baseball mitt.
Jeffrey W Bryant
Harry Dewitt, born in 1880, is first mentioned in the 9 January 1903 Hood River Glacier as recently coming from Portland. By April 1903 he was playing baseball, and was frequently mentioned that year as being a notable player.
L.E.
There is a photo here somewhere of Harry Dewitt in his auto shop with a broken hand or foot. That must have stifled his baseball game a bit.
My dad said if you were a good baseball player you could get a job in a mill town, and play on their team.
nels
Is that padded pants, and if so, why?
Jeffrey W Bryant
Glacier articles for 1903 list him as center field, right field, and umpire.
Arthur
L.E., the image you mentioned of Harry Dewitt with a broken foot is #1199. It was 1916, so I suspect his baseball career was over by then.