Call#: 1983.0447 PPL
Title: Clarence Rowland (Pants Rowland) photograph collection
Date: ca. 1880-1965
Accession #: 1983.0447
Storage: 1983.0447 PPL 5 boxes, horizontal
Restriction: Box 4 is closed to researchers until the rolled photoprints are treated by CHS's Conservator.
Biography:
Clarence Harry Rowland (1878-1969), known as Pants Rowland, is notable for his life-long association with professional baseball. Born in Platteville, Wisconsin, he grew up in Dubuque, Iowa, where he played baseball (mainly as a catcher). More notably he managed several city ball clubs and minor league teams, even from his teen years. He was brought to Chicago from Peoria by White Sox owner Charles Comiskey to manage the club (1915-1918), leading them to the American League and World Series championships in 1917. For the remainder of his career he was associated with the game in the capacities of manager, team owner, umpire, and scout for several teams. He was an American League umpire for 5 years and served as president of the Pacific Coast League, 1944-1954. He also was long a part of the Chicago Cubs organization, first as a scout and later as a member of the Cubs executive office (1954). He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964. Mr. Rowland was married and was survived by his son, Clarence, Jr., and his daughter, Beulah.
Description of the collection:
The collection consists of various types of photographs ranging from tintypes through cartes de visite and cabinet cards, postcards to snapshots (all black & white) in different sizes, and a few other prints. It is quite diverse in its subjects. Probably the most important component is the baseball-related images relating to Rowland's days as player or manager in the minor leagues. The non-baseball portion of the collection includes a large number of pictures of Rowland, both individual and with family and other persons and groups. These are in all sizes and mostly range from ca. 1915 to 1965. An equally large portion of the collection consists mainly of carte de visite and cabinet card photographs, individual studio portraits, all unidentified.
Source:
Rowland's daughter, Beulah (Mrs. Frank D. Stafford), donated the collection of photographs, along with a small collection of papers in November 1981, when she moved from Chicago to Florida.
Inventory by: John R. Jaros
October 1983
Container List
Box 1 Clarence Rowland and Family
1 Clarence Rowland: Individual portraits, out of uniform, ca. 1905-1950.
2 Clarence Rowland in group shots with other people (mainly unidentified.)
3 Baseball pictures, mainly minor league teams, with and without Rowland.
Box 2 Unidentified persons (relatives and family friends), mainly ca.1880-1910.
1 Individual baby pictures.
2 Individual children, male and female.
3 Individual women (taken mainly in Chicago).
Box 3 Unidentified persons, same type as above
1 Individual men.
2 Groupings: Couples, children, families.
3 Groupings: Friends, acquaintances, organizations.
Box 4 Nine (9) miscellaneous rolled panorama photoprints - CLOSED UNTIL CONSERVED
Box 5 Oversize photos and prints
1 Pictures of Clarence Rowland, his family.
2 Baseball pictures, mainly Cubs and White Sox.
3 Baseball pictures, minor league clubs.
4 Miscellaneous pictures.
The following items were removed from this lot collection and filed into the composite collections at the Chicago Historical Society known as the Image file or the Image flat-file under names of persons or under topics. They are listed here to help maintain their relationship to Pants Rowland, but researchers who wish to view the items listed below should request them from the Image file (Master Vertical File) or the Image flat-file, as indicated below.
Photographs removed from this lot and filed in the Image file (Master Vertical File) under
"Sports--Baseball--Chicago White Sox 1900-1920":
Name / Description
Cicotte, Ed, P (1, 5x7 bust)
Collins, Eddie, IF (2, 5x7 squatting; 8x10 standing torso shot)
Collins, John, OF (2, 5x7 torso; 8x10 full length, swinging bat)
Danforth, Dave, P (1, 5x7 torso)
Felsch, "Happy" OF (1, 5x7 torso)
Fournier, Jack, IF (1, 5x7 seated torso shot)
Gleason, "Kid," Asst. Mgr. (1, Post card bust)
Jackson, "Shoeless Joe," OF (2, 5x7 seated; 8x10 full length, swinging bat)
Jenkins, Joe, C (1, 7x9 bust torso)
McMullin, Frank, IF (1, 5x7 torso)
Rowland, Clarence, Mgr. (3, 8x10 full length in uniform; 8x10 torso in street clothes, horizontal)
Rowland, Clarence Jr., mascot (1, 7x11 full length in uniform)
Schalk, Ray, C (3, 8x10 in squat with equipment; 8x10 standing, throwing; 7 1/2 x 9 1/2 standing, throwing)
Weaver, Buck, IF (1, 7x9 bust/torso)
Unidentified White Sox pitcher (1, 5x7 throwing)
Photographs (10 items) removed from this lot and filed in Master Vertical File under
"Sports--Baseball--Chicago White Sox 1940-Present."
Photographs removed from this lot and filed in Master Vertical File under
"Sports--Baseball--Chicago Cubs 1925-1950" (all 6 1/2 x 9 bust shots with printed autographs, promotional pictures all from the same package ca. 1940, unless otherwise noted)
Player
Bartell, Dick
Bryant, Clay
Cavaretta, Phil
Corriden, John
Dean, Jay Hannan ("Dizzy")
French, Larry
Galen, Angie
Garbark, Bob
Gleason, Jim
Hack, Stan
Hartnett, Leo ("Gabby")
Herman, Billy
Johnson, Roy
Kennedy, Bob**This is a later 8x10 glossy with a real autograph; filed under "Chicago Cubs 1950-Present"
Lee, Bill
Leiber, Hank
Liffard, Gene
Mancuso, Gus
Mattick, Bobby
Page, Vance
Passeau, Claude
Reynolds, Carl
Root, Charlie
Russell, Glen ("Rip")
Russell, Jack
Whitehile, E.
Total: 26
In addition to the above, 1 filed in "Chicago Cubs 1925-1950" and 3 filed in "Chicago Cubs 1950-Present."
Filed in the Master Vertical File in the People section under "Rowland, Clarence H. ("Pants")": 16 photos removed from this lot as follows: 15 individual portraits ranging in size from post card to 8 x 10, varying from bust shots to full length in various positions and mostly in White Sox uniform; and one photo of Rowland plaque in Baseball Hall of Fame.
Also in the Master Vertical File in the People section: one 5 x 7 autographed picture of Joe DiMaggio in a full length view swinging bat; one 8 x 10 bust profile of Charles Comiskey.
Filed in Master Vertical File under "Sports--Baseball--Miscellaneous": one unidentified St. Louis ballplayer, ca. 1915
Photographs removed from this lot and filed in Image flat-file (H-4) under "Sports--Baseball--Chicago White Sox":
Size / Description
1. 9 3/4 x 14, White Sox team picture: Players in home uniforms, Comiskey Park, 1917.
2. 12 x 17 1/4, White Sox team picture: Players in away uniforms, Comiskey Park, ca. 1917.
3. 11 x 14, White Sox team wearing army uniforms, in dugout at Comiskey Park, ca. 1917.
4. 11 x 14, White Sox team in army uniforms in drill formation in Comiskey Park outfield.
5. 8 x 16, Manager Rowland in uniform, full length picture.
6. 9 5/8 x 11 1/4, Manager Rowland in uniform with daughter (Size of card-Beulah at 1917 World Series in New York, board mount)
7. 10 1/2 x 13 3/4, Manager Rowland and owner Comiskey with a large group around pole hoisting 1917 World Championship pennant flag at unidentified location.
8. 10 x 12, Three photos of identical size depicting manager Rowland and pitcher Joe Benz together in street clothes, apparently outside Comiskey Park, ca. 1917: 1. Walking briskly; 2. Running; 3. Standing together.
9. 11 x 14, Picture depicting four men seated on bench at a ball field, one of them Rowland in street clothes, another an army officer, and another a uniformed baseball manager; seated in background are soldiers. ca. 1917.
10. 10 x 13, Black construction paper page from photo album: on one side are individual photos of Rowland and Sox infielder Eddie Collins; on back is picture clipped from newspaper, Rowland and son in uniform, ca. 1917.
11. 11 x 22, Drawn caricature/cartoon: Commemorates career of Clarence Rowland, made at time he was manager of Sox (1915-1918).
12. 11 x 18, Print card with cartoons commemorating Rowland's 70th Birthday, with signatures of friends.
13. 11 x 12, Sox pitcher Ed Cicotte standing in street clothes with unidentified man.
14. 11 x 14, Two pictures of same size depicting two different views of crowds watching 1917 World Series scoreboard in Peoria.
15. 11 3/4 x 14, Unidentified Sox ballplayer shaking hands (Size of mount) with unidentified gentleman in street clothes.
Also in Image Flat-file (H-4) under "Sports--Baseball--Chicago Cubs":
11 x 14, Print, poem called "Dem Old Cubs," with pictures of star Cub ballplayers on it, 1914.
Total removed from lot and filed in Image flat-file: 19 items (H-4 size)
Total removed from lot and filed into Image file or Image flat-file: 135