Leslie Mann Baseball Lantern Slide, No. 252

Item Information

Title:
Leslie Mann Baseball Lantern Slide, No. 252
Description:
A third baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, who is possibly Milt Stock, attempts to field a hard hit ground ball. Stock has dropped to his knees and positioned his body in front of the baseball as the baseball is about to roll into his glove positioned in the middle of his body.
Creator:
Mann, Leslie
Creator:
Erker Bros. Optical Co., St. Louis Mo.,
Date:
1920–1925
Format:
Photographs
Location:
Springfield College Archives and Special Collections
Collection (local):
Leslie Mann Baseball Lantern Slide Collection
Subjects:
Baseball
Baseball caps
Baseball fields
Stock, Milton Joseph
St. Louis Cardinals
Fielding--Third base
Sportsman Park, St. Louis, Missouri
Link to Item:
https://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16122coll10/id/173
Terms of Use:
Rights status not evaluated.
This work is licensed for use under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike License (CC BY-NC-SA).
CC BY-NC-SA icon
Publisher:
Springfield College
Language:
English
Notes:
Stock is demonstrating the correct way to field a baseball that is hit very hard on the ground. If the baseball is hit very hard, it may not bounce up towards the fielder like it often does, and the baseball may instead stay on the ground at all times. Even though it is possible for Stock to field this baseball while standing, fielding a very hard hit baseball in the way he has chosen to instead would be a lot easier. Stock actually dropping on his knees allows his legs to block the baseball in case he misses it with his glove, and having his glove on the ground in the manner he does in this lantern slide allows the baseball to roll easily into his glove. This will allow Stock to field the baseball quick and cleanly. If the baseball did bounce up unexpectantly, Stock would still be able to use his chest to block the baseball while still being in a good position to block the baseball from landing into the outfield. After fielding the baseball, Stock would need to immediately jump to his feet and make a play. That is the only issue with choosing to drop to your knees and field a baseball is that it takes time to return to the proper position and throw the baseball to the appropriate base.
Milton Joseph Stock was born on July 11, 1893 in Chicago, Illinois. Stock was a second and third baseman (primarily a third baseman) who played for the New York Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, and the Brooklyn Robins. One of the most interesting facts about Stock is that he is the only player ever to record four or more hits in four straight games. In his last full season as a member of the Robins, Stock finished fifth in the league in hits with 202, and he seemed to be poised for a few more good seasons to come. However, during the 1926 preseason, Stock collided head first with Lou Gehrig. He tried to play that season, but only made it through 3 games before choosing to retire. After retiring, Stock briefly coached in the Major Leagues for the Dodgers, but made a crucial error in the last game of the season, a game the Dodgers had to win to advance to the playoffs. With the game tied at 1 and a player on first and second and no outs, the player at bat hit a single to center field, and despite having no outs and Jackie Robinson, one of the greatest baseball players ever, on deck, Stock waived the person on second home and he was thrown out. Because of this, the Phillies were able to intentionally walk Robinson and the next two players flew out. The Phillies won the game, and Stock would never coach for the Dodgers again. Stock coached a couple more seasons for the Pirates before moving to the Minor Leagues.
The player is assumed to be Milt Stock based on assumptions about the third baseman position for the Sr. Louis Cardinals in 1922. Stock was the only actual third baseman on the Cardinals in 1922. However, there is a chance that the player is Joe Schultz, who was mainly an outfielder but also played third base for the Cardinals.
Poor condition;
There are a few noticeable cracks running along the image, but they don't make it more difficult to determine the purpose of this slide.
This digital image is made from two separate digital scans; one scan of the lantern slide (reflective); one scan of the image (transparecy); the two images were then combined in Photoshop to create the final image.
Lantern slide from the Leslie Mann baseball instruction course, "The Fundamentals of Baseball"
"Milt Stock." Baseball Reference, [ https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/stockmi01.shtml ]. Accessed 24 Oct. 2017. ___Internet Archive___. [ http://web.archive.org/web/20171024174515/https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/stockmi01.shtml ]. Timmermann, Bob. "Taking Stock of Milt's Feet." The Griddle, 16 May 2007, [https://griddle.baseballtoaster.com/archives/663189.html]. Accessed 24 Oct. 2017. ____Internet Archive___. [http://web.archive.org/web/20171024174758/https://griddle.baseballtoaster.com/archives/663189.html ].
Identifier:
LANT-BSBL-252-03
252