I can’t believe I missed this collection in literally my own back yard. I’ve been to the Lakeland Library Special Collections Room dozens of times and never stumbled across the Dan Sanborn Photo Collection. It took Absolute Michigan to open my eyes.
Sanborn was a photographer for the Ledger and elsewhere, and was there when the Tigers trained at Henley Field. There are dozens of photos of the team and the crowds at Henley.
The photo above has a cutline, “Tiger pitcher Hal Newhouser and friends.” Newhouser played with the Tigers from 39 to 53. With the troops behind him and the women in what appears to be Red Cross uniforms, I’d guess that’s a war time photo. The WWII war effort support patch on Newhouser’s sleeve clinches that the photo was taken anywhere from 1943 to 1945.
Sadly, Newhouser has passed away, but if either of the women pictured still live in Lakeland, we’d love to hear about that photo op.
Bio: The short line? Father, husband, writer. My online presence is primarily through as the editor, writer, and occasional photographer for the news sites, Lakeland Local, a sampling of the news, concerns, and events for Lakeland, Florida, and Metro i4 News, which covers the Interstate 4 corridor in Central Florida. Both sites feature the work of myself and other contributors. As a hobby, I manage a forum and some web sites that feature a pulp fiction series written by Lester Dent -- Doc Savage Organized, Doc Savage Info, and Flearun.
Rich
3 years ago
Dan Sanborn was best known in later years as the local news reporter on WONN. He didn’t have an authoritative newsman’s voice, but he knew everybody in town and covered every local event worth reporting on.
farlane (Andy McFarlane)
3 years ago
I am amazed by the number of times people tell me about things that I really should have known about.
I love this photo too. Hal’s got a great smile (but then I suppose he’s got a couple reasons to have one there).