Prior to the first All-Star Game, The Sporting News ran a contest. Fans were asked to select an All-Star Team for each league, and to write a 400-word letter explaining the logic behind their choices. Their explanations and the accuracy of the statistical data they used to back them up weighted heavily in deciding which fan would be the winner. The victor would receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Chicago and a good seat at the ballpark. The winning entry was from William F. Hinchman of Philadelphia (originally shown at left in photo, now trimmed away). A 42-year-old motorman for the Philadelphia Subway Elevated Lines, Hinchman was the cousin of Bill Hinchman, a Pirate scout who had played for Cincinnati, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. The winner had also been active as a semipro player for several of the best independent clubs in the East. The three judges, all former big-league players, included future Hall of Famer George Sisler. Although Hinchman's selections did not exactly match the teams that took the field for the Game of the Century, he triumphed on the basis of "the soundness of the reasons for his selections." The contest was so popular that The Sporting News repeated it in 1934 hen it was won by Edward S. Keller of Indianapolis (pictured here). The 23-year-old Keller, a long-time fan who frequently took in major league games on his business travels, bested over 3,000 other entrants to earn his trip to the Polo Grounds for the 1934 contest. DATE: 1934 ORIGINAL or REPRINT: Type 1 Original - Printed from the original negative within about 2 years of when it was shot TEAM: All-Star Game SUBJECT: Edward S. Keller PHOTOGRAPHER: Charles Conlon APPROXIMATE SIZE: 5-1/8"x7" trimmed NUMBER OF PHOTOS: 1 COMMENTS / CONDITION: This is one of a large accumulation of vintage sports photographs, slides and negatives that we will be listing over the coming months. Wear on these, if any, is mostly confined to minor corner and edge wear, but see scans for further details including condition. We do not deal in stock images or modern reprints, and all scans shown are of the actual vintage photograph, slide or negative being sold. If you have any questions about a particular piece, please ask before the auction ends. SKU: L14560
Item: L14560
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