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09-25-2006, 11:27 AM
Posted By: <b>Dan Bretta</b><p>Got this yesterday and was wondering what the experts may think about this photo. The photo itself measures 8 1/4" x 6" and was originally mounted on a cream colored backer and then cut off and mounted onto a greyish brown backer. When would you estimate this photo to be from. Do you think the African American fella in the photo was a player/mascot or other? Any help appreciated.<br /><a href="http://imageshack.us"><img src="http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/9941/baseballcabinet1smallmu9.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" /></a><br /><a href="http://imageshack.us"><img src="http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/8812/baseballcabinet2smallzt6.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" /></a>

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09-25-2006, 12:33 PM
Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>If I had to guess I would say circa 1880s. Though the color was used later, cream colored mounts <br />were standard 1880s and before. The print appears to be an albumen print, which<br />which would mean 1800s. I also notice that players are wearing black shoes, which would<br />date them to post 1870s, as 1860s-70s baseball shoes were usually white. This would all<br />appear to date the photo to circa 1880s.<br /><br />I don't know if the black man is a mascot, player or general helper. The black mascot<br />was usually a kid, while this guy is old enough to play.

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09-25-2006, 01:21 PM
Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>David hit the nail on the head. My guess was 1880 too, give or take.

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09-25-2006, 02:37 PM
Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>It's unlikely that the black guy is a mascott, so it's whether he is a player<br />or team helper. I think there's a good chance he was a player. Realize, the team would<br />be more likely to include him in the pic if he was a player than if he was the<br />clubhouse attendant.

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09-25-2006, 03:09 PM
Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>His position in the photo and his body language- he is not even looking at the camera- suggests he is an outsider and not a team member.

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09-25-2006, 03:29 PM
Posted By: <b>Dan Bretta</b><p>Thanks for the replies guys. I doubt we'll ever know for sure whether he was a player or not, but I tend to agree with Barry that his body language suggests that he is not....however it's interesting to see in old photos of integrated teams how the others sit in relation to the black players -oftentimes you will see photos where nearly everyone on the team has a hand or arm on one of the other players except for the black player(s).

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09-26-2006, 01:02 AM
Posted By: <b>Lee Behrens</b><p>Just Curious Dan, did you other photo dump you and you are looking for new dating advice to keep this onw longer? It doesn't make a difference whether it is a woman or photo, huh. <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br /><br />Cool photos though,<br /><br />Lee

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09-26-2006, 09:33 AM
Posted By: <b>Dan Bretta</b><p>My wife knows about my extramarital affair with baseball memorabilia and she's fine with it as long as I'm discreet. I guess I shouldn't have gone so public looking for advice in the chatroom. <img src="/images/wink.gif" height=14 width=14>

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09-26-2006, 12:36 PM
Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>It's better than dating a cigarette pack. If you have trouble picking one<br />up at the book store or grocery store, GAI offers a cigarette pack dating<br />service. They even have loose tobacco.<br /><br />I once simultaneously dated a carton of Sweet Caporal packs, though I was <br />much much younger.