Al's Pep Talk

Readers of the Milwaukee Journal opened their paper on the evening of Tuesday, March 15, 1938 to find this wonderful photo dispatch from the Brews' spring training site:

Pep Talk by Manager Sothoron Opens Brewer Training Season

MANAGER ALLAN SOTHORON gathers the pitchers and catchers who have assembled at the Brewer training camp at Hot Springs, Ark., about him for a little pep talk in this first picture of the 1938 model Milwaukee baseball team.

This is a rare look at the back of the players' jerseys. Most of our best looks are posed team photos, leaving the numbers largely unseen.

They're a nice, clear block, but the spacing looks a little odd. Look at all that extra flannel between the two-digit numbers, especially the "1" and "9".