DATE: 1950s ORIGINAL or REPRINT: Original - Printed from the original negative in the time period in which it was shot TEAM: Pittsburgh Pirates SUBJECTS: Ed Fitzgerald, Unidentified Slider, Mickey Owen PHOTOGRAPHER: Harry Coughanour APPROXIMATE SIZE: 10"x8-1/8" 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. BIO: Edward Raymond Fitz Gerald was born in 1924 in Santa Ynez, CA and died in 2020 in Folsom, CA. He played major league baseball from 1948 to 1959 as catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Senators and the Cleveland Indians. Catcher Ed Fitz Gerald ended his college career when he was drafted into the Army in 1943, serving in the Aleutian Islands and Germany in World War II. He returned stateside in 1946, signing a contract with the Sacramento Solons, where his college coach Earl Sheely was now working. FitzGerald played a dozen years in the majors, and following his playing days, he was an Indians coach in 1960, a Kansas City Athletics coach in 1961, and a member of the Minnesota Twins staff from 1962 to 1964. He then managed the Fresno Giants in 1965 and 1966. Arnold Malcolm Owen was born in Nixa, MO and died in 2005 in Mt. Vernon, MO. He played major league baseball from 1937 to 1954 as catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, Brooklyn Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox, appeared in the 1941 World Series, and was selected 4 times as an All-Star. After his discharge from the military in 1946, Owen expected to return to Brooklyn, but he failed to reach an agreement with the Dodgers and signed a contract to be a player-manager in the Mexican League. There were others several big leaguers that fled to Mexico, attracted by good salaries. In retaliation for the defections, Commissioner Happy Chandler sought a lifetime suspension for them, but his penalty was later reduced to three years. owing his retirement as a player, Owen spent two seasons (1955-56) as a Red Sox coach, then worked for the Cubs as a scout. Then, he returned to the Ozarks and founded the Mickey Owen Baseball School on Route 66 near Miller, Missouri in 1959. That academy still bears his name even though he sold it many years ago. In 1964, Owen ran for Greene County sheriff and won. He also won three more elections, serving in the office until 1981. Owen ran for Lt. Governor of Missouri in 1980 and finished third with 13% and 79038 votes. Owen was still playing in oldtimers' games in the 1980s. SKU: XP12508
Item: XP12508
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