Cap Anson miscellany (funny stuff!)
By JohnW53
on Dec 12, 2020, 7:06am CST
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One of the delights of any kind of historical research is to come across some wholly unexpected aspect of the topic.
It may not fit into the narrative being researched, but that makes it no less interesting, especially if it is funny.
And it still may shed new light on, or provide new insight into, the character or personality of a person or organization.
Following are just a few of the surprises that I encountered while researching various parts of the life of Hall of Famer Cap Anson, who was player-manager-part owner of the Cubs when they were the White Stockings and later the Colts, from 1876-97, then operated a popular billiards hall and bowling alley, served as Chicago's city clerk, owned and managed semi-pro baseball and football teams, built a ball park and even performed in vaudeville and on Broadway.