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Rare 1904-06 NY Highlanders (Yankees) Pass Deacon McGuire
Displayed is a rare season pass, circa 1904-06, for the New York Highlanders, the forerunners of today's New York Yankees. The American League became a Major League in 1901 with a team in Baltimore, the Orioles. AL President Ban Johnson wanted an American League team in New York, so he maneuvered the Orioles into moving to New York City in time for the 1903 season. (Because only some of the 1902 Baltimore Orioles stayed with the team when it moved to New York, some sources, including Baseball Reference.com., consider the 1901-02 Baltimore Orioles franchise defunct, and the 1903 New York Highlanders to be a new franchise, one that begins in 1903) The team bought ground in upper Manhattan in NYC, at 165th and 168th Streets, for their home park, to be known as Hilltop Park, because of the area's very high elevation. Hilltop Park was only blocks away from the Polo Grounds, home of the National league's New York Giants. The Highlander nickname came about because of two reasons: The field's high elevation and that team President Joseph Gordon had the same last name as the famous Scottish military unit known as Gordon's Highlanders. Two stars of the early Highlander stars were Hall of Fame outfielder Wee Willie Keeler, who stood only 5'4", and Hall of Fame pitcher Jack Chesbro. In the Highlanders' first season, Keeler hit .313, and Chesbro went 21-15, with a 2.77 ERA. Within a short time, New York Press editor Jim Price started to informally call the Highlanders "Yanks" or "Yankees" in order to save space in headlines, and the name Yankees became an informal team name, along with Highlanders, until 1913, when with the New York American League team sharing space as renters of the Giants in the Polo Grounds, the name Highlanders no longer fit, and the name "Yankees" became the official nickname. The offered season pass measures approx. 2.25x3.75". The pass has printing that reads, "Greater New York Base Ball Club of the American League Season Card/GNYBBC/[#]56." The pass has a handwritten, by an unknown hand, "Mrs. McGuire," the name of the wife of James "Deacon" McGuire, a catcher with the Highlanders. According to writer H.G. Salsinger, McGuire started the practice of padding a catcher's mitt, using a rather primitive method: a raw steak. Glove manufacturers took note and later used a more practical padding of felt and hair. McGuire still holds the all-time MLB records for a catcher's assists, thrown-out attempted steals, and allowed steals. The pass is signed by Joseph Gordon, President. The pass is placed in a leather holder that measures 2.5x4", unfolding to 5.25x4". The pass exhibits some slight toning, but it is in otherwise excellent condition. The pass wallet shows great use, with much pocket wear, the wearing away of the outermost layer of leather in numerous spots, particularly alone the "spine" of the wallet. As for the Highlander team, the franchise bought Babe Ruth, soon won its first pennant in 1921, and would go on to win 40 pennants and 27 World Series as the Yankees, but the team traces its history to the vintage New York Highlanders, and this season pass makes a great remembrance for the early days of the iconic New York Yankees.
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