Gkreindler

Amazing, guys. Thank you so much for all of this information. It really helps color this thing a lot more for me. Like, seriously. To be honest, I have no idea whether I could find out whether Linares had one of these cars, though I imagine it's not out of the realm of possibility, especially considering his status as a baseball magnate on the island. But yeah, there aren't any books about the man that I know of, just mentions of him in some books about baseball in Cuba (and even those are hard to come by). Now, on the notion of being even more off-topic and obscure, might any of you have any knowledge about the history of architecture in Cuba? I'm also looking to make a guess about the color of the building in the background, but ya know, wanted to make sure it was an educated guess. Anywho, again, thank you ALL for your kind words and help in all of this. Graig

Could very well be, Spinneyhill. Good call.

Holy balls, I love this forum. Thanks so much for all of the great answers, everybody. Seriously. Martin, I do paint things directly from photographs - mostly from single images, but sometimes I have to combine many sources to make one original image. For the most part I stick to baseball. C Carl, your information is SO helpful and appreciated. It's always super important for me to know as much context about what I'm painting in order to somehow imbue it into the picture (even if it's something intangible). Unfortunately, I'm not able to get my hands on any of the Latin American newspapers from that era that point light in any specific direction as to why the car is there, but it just seemed odd to see it on the field. In the states, and certainly during that time period, it was common for ballplayers to receive many gifts during the days in which they were given 'a day.' A lot of times those gifts could consist of hunting and fishing equipment, and later, televisions and entertainment units. Certainly, being given cars were also part of that tradition. So, I wonder if this photograph was taken on a day in which one of these guys was being honored by the ballclub and/or fans. Abel Linares owned the team, as well as the Almendares and Habana, so I'd imagine a lot of the coin that purchased the car came from him. I honestly can't think of any other reason for it to be there, as it was a bit past the days in which the fields were shared by posts to park your horses and carriages. Either way, I'd love to do some more digging about it if I can. With help, I've been able to narrow down the actual date of the photograph being taken to a span of a week or two. Anywho, regardless, there's still much to discover. For what it's worth, this ballclub was considered one of the best ever in Cuban League history. The squad boasted people like Oscar Charleston and José Méndez (both Baseball HoFers in the states), as well as Alejandro Oms (in the Cuban Baseball HoF), and also stars Dobie Moore, Ghost Marcelle, and Frank Duncan. For us baseball nerds, it's exciting stuff. Thanks again, guys. If anyone can add anything, I'd love to hear it! Graig

Thanks a lot, Steve! Will do.

Thank you so much for all of your kind words, everybody! And I very much appreciate your suggestions. Is it safe to say that there might have not been any difference between any of the cars (or Packards, in this case) that would have been in Cuba during that period? In other words, it's not impossible that some of the models would have been older ones, what with the nature of island travel in those days? I have no idea, but am just throwing out some random thoughts. Either way, I'll see if I can make the roof a bit more on the tan side. The value of whatever color it is is pretty light - could a light beige be a possibility? Thanks again, everybody. Graig

Hey all, I'm totally new to the forums, and was hoping that I might be able to get a little help with a strange question. By day (and let's face it, by night), I'm a painter who focuses on historical baseball subject matter. Much like car enthusiasts, the folks who study the game have a love stretches back to its earliest days, and whenever its heroes or ballparks are depicted, they are scrutinized for their historical accuracy. As a result, I pride myself on being as meticulous as I can be with such details. Primarily, I work on commission, and a while back was hired to make a painting from the enclosed photograph. It depicts the 1923-24 Leopardos de Santa Clara at their home field, Boulanger Park in Cuba. The photograph dates from the late fall of 1923. As you may notice, behind the players towards the left, there is an automobile. The only issue is, as I'm getting close to the end, I've made sure that I'm getting everything right with the players and ballpark (especially as it all relates to color and the such), but it's with that automobile that I'm not sure where to turn. I know it's obscured, but is there anyway that you fine folks might be able to let me know what kind of car it is? Also, perhaps, what colors the make would/could have come in? Again, this dates from late 1923 in Cuba, and I know VERY little about cars, especially as they pertain to Cuba in 1923. Anywho, ANY help or ideas would be GREATLY appreciated. Feel free to post here or reach out to me via email, at gkreindler@gmail.com. Thanks so much for reading! Graig