The title might not make sense, but let me explain. I find it interesting how many famous people are famous long after they have been mentioned in the NYT or other major media. For example, one can search the NYT for George Bush and find a reference to a 1967 article in which the future president is interviewed concerning hazing at his fraternity at Yale (Available here for subscribers to Proquest). A search for Barack Obama yields the first mention of him in a 1990 article in the NYT concerning his selection to the Harvard Law Review (Available here for ProQuest subscribers).

The May 19, 1909 NYT has a similar story concerning one Branch Rickey, who will later become most famous for assisting Jackie Robinson break the color barrier in Major League Baseball in 1947 (but who also led a most fascinating life and career beyond this obvious achievement):

TOLEDO - Branch Rickey, the well-known baseball player, former catcher for the New York Americans and for several years coach for both baseball and football teams at Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio, has broken down in health and been compelled to go to Saranac Lake for a complete rest. Rickey, besides performing his coaching duties, has been attending law school at Columbus, each day teaching a beginner's law class at Ohio Wesleyan, and travelling over the country making speeches for the "drys" in the local option campaign.

What if Branch Rickey had succumbed to his ill health?