JOHNNY WELAJ 1943 Philadelphia Athletics GEORGE BURKE Vintage Photo

DATE SHOT: 1943

SUBJECTS: Johnny Welaj, George Burke

PHOTOGRAPHER: George Burke

APPROXIMATE SIZE: 4"x6"

COMMENTS / CONDITION: Offered is an vintage 4"x6" photo of Johnny Welaj, pictured in his Philadelphia Athletics uniform circa 1943. The photo was taken by George Burke circa 1943 and the negative used by George Brace to produce this print later (most likely in the 1950's-60's based on appearances). The verso lacks any stamping, but does bear the subject's name penned by Brace's hand. Please see scans of the actual photo for further details including condition.

BIO: John Ludwig Welaj was born in Moss Creek, PA and died in 2003 in Arlington, TX. He played major league baseball from 1939 to 1943 as outfielder for the Washington Senators and the Philadelphia Athletics.

George C. Burke was born in 1874 in Pennington Gap, VA and died in 1951 in Chicago, IL. A case of mistaken identity made by the Chicago Cubs resulted in George Burke becoming the official photographer for the Chicago Cubs. In 1929, Cubs manager Joe McCarthy and Gabby Hartnett sought out the ballclub's previous photographer. They could only remember his last name, Burke, so they looked him up in the phone book. A listing leapt out at them: studio photographer George C. Burke, whose office was near Wrigley Field. Thus began the baseball photography career of George Burke, who had no prior sports experience whatsoever, and thus ended the career of photographer Francis Burke - the Cubs' time-honored official cameraman and an unwitting victim of mistaken identity. To undertake his new "big league" endeavor, Burke hired the young (age 15) baseball-knowledgeable George Brace as his assistant, and the two soon became a Chicago institution. Ever-present at Wrigley Field and Comiskey Park, Burke and Brace shot not only for the Cubs, but also for the White Sox and football's Chicago Bears. They also endeavored to amass a complete portfolio of player portraits - a daunting task made possible by the fact that Chicago was the only city with both an American League and a National League franchise from 1929 all the way until Brace's retirement in 1993. As the official photographer for the Chicago Cubs, Burke quickly became renowned for his candid pre-game photos and thought-provoking portrait depictions, and his posed portraits and action photos were published in The Sporting News, Who's Who in the Major Leagues, and Baseball Digest as well as other publications, and provided the necessary photos for numerous 1930's and later baseball card and premium issues.

George C. Burke was born in 1874 in Pennington Gap, VA and died in 1951 in Chicago, IL. A case of mistaken identity made by the Chicago Cubs resulted in George Burke becoming the official photographer for the Chicago Cubs. In 1929, Cubs manager Joe McCarthy and Gabby Hartnett sought out the ballclub's previous photographer. They could only remember his last name, Burke, so they looked him up in the phone book. A listing leapt out at them: studio photographer George C. Burke, whose office was near Wrigley Field. Thus began the baseball photography career of George Burke, who had no prior sports experience whatsoever, and thus ended the career of photographer Francis Burke - the Cubs' time-honored official cameraman and an unwitting victim of mistaken identity. To undertake his new "big league" endeavor, Burke hired the young (age 15) baseball-knowledgeable George Brace as his assistant, and the two soon became a Chicago institution. Ever-present at Wrigley Field and Comiskey Park, Burke and Brace shot not only for the Cubs, but also for the White Sox and football's Chicago Bears. They also endeavored to amass a complete portfolio of player portraits - a daunting task made possible by the fact that Chicago was the only city with both an American League and a National League franchise from 1929 all the way until Brace's retirement in 1993. As the official photographer for the Chicago Cubs, Burke quickly became renowned for his candid pre-game photos and thought-provoking portrait depictions, and his posed portraits and action photos were published in The Sporting News, Who's Who in the Major Leagues, and Baseball Digest as well as other publications, and provided the necessary photos for numerous 1930's and later baseball card and premium issues.

SKU: GB5505

Item: GB5505

Retail Price: $12.95
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JOHNNY WELAJ 1943 Philadelphia Athletics GEORGE BURKE Vintage PhotoJOHNNY WELAJ 1943 Philadelphia Athletics GEORGE BURKE Vintage PhotoJOHNNY WELAJ 1943 Philadelphia Athletics GEORGE BURKE Vintage Photo
JOHNNY WELAJ 1943 Philadelphia Athletics GEORGE BURKE Vintage Photo
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