Dear Bob6-ga
I note that there was not response to my request for clarification but
I looked into your request some more and I think that there are
several ways to find the information that you are looking for but they
will take a little time and effort on your part. It would take longer
than the expiration date on your question so I could not pursue it to
a complete resolution and also, it may cost a little (to hire a
researcher as you will see below) and you have to decide whether it is
worth it to you. However, I think you will be successful.
The first way, and probably the best, is by means of the Library of
Congress (LC).
The LC Newspaper & Current Periodical Room has in its collections,
the "New York Journal American" newspaper (microfilm #1334). You can
request this title on interlibrary loan through your public library.
The LC interlibrary loan
policies can be found at the web site
<http://www.loc.gov/rr/loan/>
That is the good news. The not so good news is that New York Journal
American is not indexed, so the only way to find articles and
photographs is to search through each issue page-by-page. The LC
cannot make the search for you since that have a limited staff and you
are looking for an article that may have appeared in either 1955 or
1956 so they will not be able to spare someone to do the search.
(although the article describing the game is certainly in a summer
edition). However, if you want to pursue your research at the Library
of Congress, but can't come to washington, D.C., you may wish to hire
a private researcher to conduct your search. The Library of Congress,
Main Reading Room informs me that they can supply the names of
individuals who will undertake research for a fee. You can request
the list of names from their Ask a Librarian web site at
<http://www.loc.gov/rr/main>
The fellow at LC that I was in contact with is
Robert Rufus Shields
Reference Specialist rshi@loc.gov
Serials & Gov't Publications 202-707-2016
Library of Congress
Washington DC 20540-4760
The other alternative is also by way of a newspaper morgue. There is
such a morgue that includes New York newspapers at the University of
Texas in Austin
They have a Center for American History which holds the clippings
morgues for three major New York City newspapers: including the NY
Times, Herald Tribune and Journal American. The phone number there is
512 495 4515
My impression is that this morgue is not as easy to use as the Library
of Congress because they are not as complete. The LC has microfilm of
the actual entire newspapers whereas the Center for American history
has collections of reference clippings files maintained for
newspapers' researchers and reporters. Articles from various
information sources concerning newsworthy individuals and topics were
clipped and gathered together by subject headings, not dates. The
Center is a good place to look for articles on a specific topic since
the clippings are arranged that way instead of entire newspapers. So
if they don’t have the topic of sandlot baseball you will not have any
luck. In any case they provide access to the newspaper morgues to
people who visit the Center in person, as well as to those who contact
them by telephone, electronic mail, and conventional mail. They say
that they will search for clip files on specific topics that are
provided to them. However, just like the LC they are limited in staff
and can't do in-depth newspaper morgue reference or research services,
including going through the clippings files in search of specific
articles. If specific articles are not physically marked by patrons or
by their proxy researchers, they will photocopy the entire clip file.
They do suggest that "If you know a specific date or date range for
the newspaper article you seek, it is often more expedient for you to
work with your local public library's reference department to narrow
your search to more specific dates using indexes such as the Reader's
Guide to Periodical Literature. Then work with your local public
library's interlibrary loan department to secure the loan of the
microfilmed newspaper from the time period of interest (if your local
library doesn't already have it). You will then be able to quickly
arrive at the correct date range on the microfilm and find the article
you seek." They also say that if you can't be there in person, you can
contact the Reference Services Department and a list of Austin area
proxy researchers will be forwarded to you.
My impression is that you should use the Library of Congress since
they have the actual newspapers there on microfilm. You might want to
check with your local library since it may already have experience in
this kind of search at the LC. I would also suggest that you get a
list of researchers from the LC and see what the rates are for doing
this kind of research. Then decide whether it is worth it to you. If
you are not in a hurry, it would seem the best thing to do is to start
with your local library and use their assistance to work with LC since
it might be easier to work through a library.
One other thing. I have assumed that the Journal American would
certainly have an article on the game you are interested in since they
sponsored it. But there is always the chance that there is an article
in one of the other NY papers that existed at that time. As long as
the LC has them on microfilm you can check them out also.
Good luck and, as an old sandlotter myself, I would appreciate knowing
how you made out.
Nocky-ga |
