"All in a Single Afternoon"

Sepia Hall of Fame Plaques

The Sepia postcards were printed by The Freeman's Journal of Cooperstown using Cooperstown's professional photograph A.J. Telfer photos.

The first Hall of Fame postcards were issued in two types between 1939-1943. They share an identical format and are differentiated by the typography on back, one set having been issued prior to the Hall of Fame's opening in June, 1939, and a later version issued after the opening. The 3-1/2" x 5-1/2" cards are similar in format to the later series printed in black and white and various colors, but this initial effort is printed in sepia on a cream-colored background. Most fronts picture the plaque of one of the 25 first inductees, with a wide bottom border to accommodate an autograph. Designated Type 1, this issue has a back caption which ends with, "National interest centers in the Centennial Celebration in 1939 at Cooperstown." The later version, Type 2, ends its description. "The National Base Ball Museum and Hall of Fame and Doubleday Field are maintained here as a Shrine to the national game." On both types, vertically at centers Is a credit line "Pub. by National Base Ball Museum." At right are a stamp box and line for the mailing address.

1936 Tyrus Cobb Hall of Fame Plaque
1936 Tyrus Cobb
1936 Christopher Mathewson Hall of Fame Plaque
1936 Christopher Mathewson
1936 George Babe Ruth Hall of Fame Plaque
1936 George Babe Ruth
1936 Jonn Houns Wagner Hall of Fame Plaque
1936 Jonn Houns Wagner
1936 Walter Johnson Hall of Fame Plaque
1936 Walter Johnson
1937 Tris Speaker Hall of Fame Plaque
1937 Tris Speaker
1937 Byron Johnson Hall of Fame Plaque
1937 Byron Johnson
1937 Connie Mack Hall of Fame Plaque
1937 Connie Mack
1937 Denton CY Young Hall of Fame Plaque
1937 Denton CY Young
1937 George Wright Hall of Fame Plaque
1937 George Wright
1937 John J McGraw Hall of Fame Plaque
1937 John J McGraw
1937 Morgan Bulkey Hall of Fame Plaque
1937 Morgan Bulkey
1937 Napoleon Lajoie Hall of Fame Plaque
1937 Napoleon Lajoie
1938 Henry Chadwick Hall of Fame Plaque
1938 Henry Chadwick
1938 Alexander Joy Cartwright Hall of Fame Plaque1938 Alexander Joy Cartwright
1938 Grover Cleveland Alexander Hall of Fame Plaque
1938 Grover Cleveland Alexander
1939 Charles Comiskey Hall of Fame Plaque
1939 Charles Comiskey
1939 Adrian Anson Hall of Fame Plaque
1939 Adrian Anson
1939 Albert G Spalding Hall of Fame Plaque
1939 Albert G Spalding
1939 Charles Radbourne Hall of Fame Plaque
1939 Charles Radbourne
1939 Edward Collins Hall of Fame Plaque
1939 Edward Collins
1939 George Sisler Hall of Fame Plaque
1939 George Sisler
1939 William Buck Ewing Hall of Fame Plaque
1939 William Buck Ewing
1939 William cummings Hall of Fame Plaque
1939 William cummings
1939 William Keeler Hall of Fame Plaque
1939 William Keeler
1939 Henry Louis Gehrig Hall of Fame Plaque
1939 Henry Louis Gehrig
1942 Rogers Hornsby Hall of Fame Plaque
1942 Rogers Hornsby