Tris Speaker in Hospital with Wife photograph

Date1937

DescriptionA black-and-white photograph of Tris Speaker wearing pajamas laying in a hospital bed. Laying on his back, Speaker rests both hands on his chest while looking to his left, in the direction of his wife. Two casts, extending from below the elbow to the knuckles of the hand, are visible on each of Speaker's arms. Speaker's wife Frances, standing to her husband's left, wears a satin dress, pearl earrings, and a shovel style hat. Frances, with her right hand, adjusts a radio at Speaker's bedside. The out of focus cord in the foreground and the medical outlets visible on the background wall indicate that Speaker rests in a hospital, rather than at home in his personal bed. In comparison with other images of this time, this photograph dates from April 1937, when Speaker was hospitalized after falling from his second story porch, breaking both wrists and fracturing his skull. A caption from another copy of the photograph (not shown) reads, "Tris Speaker, former star outfielder of Cleveland, is shown in the hospital with his wife. Speaker recently fell from the second-floor porch of his home and suffered a skull fracture and two broken wrists. [Daily News-Wide World photo]." The other copy of the photograph also has perpendicular lines visible on the surface of the image indicate where this photograph is to be cropped upon publication and are not original. In addition, portions of the garments worn by each subject and the background behind Frances have been enhanced to appear more legible for publication. In comparison with the original image, the cowboy hat shaped ashtray on Speaker's bedside table has been removed through this editing process.

Object numberBL-1995-05569-015

Subject Speaker, Tris

Attributes

Classificationsphotographic materials

Collection NumberBA PHT 012 Hall of Famers photographic materials

Dimensions10 x 8 in.

Copyrighthttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/

Public Access NotePlease note that not all works are on view at all times - their availability is subject to change per the discretion of the Museum staff. Only a portion of NBHFM's collection is currently online and the information presented here is subject to updates and additions based on research and imaging activities. The images, titles, and descriptions are products of their time. If you have corrections or additional information about this object, please email research@baseballhall.org to help improve our records. This material is made available for private study, scholarship, and research use. Every effort has been made to accurately determine the rights status of images. Please email us if you have further information on the rights status of an image contrary to or in addition to the information in our records. For more information or access to a high resolution reproduction (some fees may apply), contact: National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Giamatti Research Center, research@baseballhall.org, 607-547-0330.