5 great portraits from the 1949 book "Baseball Personalities"

The Philadelphia Phillies' pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Clearwater, Florida, this week, so all is well in the world again. (Assuming that all is well with the health of Roy Halladay, Ryan Howard and Chase Utley.)

To celebrate the national pastime, here are five extremely cool portraits from Jimmy Powers' 1949 book "Baseball Personalities." There are a total of 32 full-page photographs in the book.

My copy is a well-worn and well-circulated former library book that was once property of the U.S. Army and resided in various Special Services libraries over the years.¹

Billy Herman, Hank Greenberg and Honus Wagner

Gabby Hartnett's Homer in the Gloamin'

Jackie Robinson

Hack Wilson

Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra
(Still with us and turns 88 in May)

Footnote
1. How well-circulated was my copy? Check out the card pocket in the back...