Help with 1892 baseball team photo

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Posted By: <b>Keith</b><p>Hello group,<br /><br />I am a vintage football collector, mostly team photos, but come across the occassional baseball photo.<br /><br />I recently purchased this photo which is dated 1892 on the back, along with a couple of names. It actually looks like it lists a second date under the 1892 date but I can't make it out (either 03 or 13) and under that second date it has noted: John Gadden (or cadden) was dead <br /> and ________ (the underline is actually written) Williams was dead.<br /><br />I like the vintage bats and equipment in the photo. Some pretty good looks at some ringbats, and old catchers mask, etc.<br />The photo was original purchased at an estate auction in the York PA area.<br /><br />My question for the forum is what type of team do you think this is? The players have MSD on their jersey. Have any of you ever seen something like a city name and School District refer to baseball teams of that time frame.<br />The ages of the players look likes it varies greatly, but maybe I'm wrong. School team, Town team? The players look too young to be a company team, right?<br /><br />thanks<br />KJ<br /><br /><img src="http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n193/kjjavic/MSDbaseballphotocloseup.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n193/kjjavic/MSDbaseballphoto.jpg">

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>What makes this photo unusual is the disparity in age among the players. Some look like adults, others are children, although they could be mascots. Obviously a lower level town or school team, but a very attractive image. That's about the largest number of bats I've ever seen in one photo.

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Posted By: <b>Dan Bretta</b><p>I don't think it's a school team because of the age disparity as Barry mentioned. Probably a town or factory team. It is a very cool photo. The equipment is what makes this photo.

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>Dan- I counted eleven bats, including one barely showing at the extreme left.

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Posted By: <b>Dan Bretta</b><p>Is the kid in the top row holding up home plate?

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>It looks like a plaque of some kind, since it's two-toned. Home plate would be uniform in color.

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Posted By: <b>Mike</b><p>I Like their gloves. Very cool.

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Posted By: <b>Dan Bretta</b><p>HAHA...I count 12 bats...can you find them all? <img src="/images/wink.gif" height=14 width=14> I also count three baseballs.

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>You're correct! The guy sitting at the top left has one too. That's the one I missed. Good eye <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14>

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Posted By: <b>Max Weder</b><p>Cool photo.<br /><br />I can only identify Oliver Twist, Fagin and the Artful Dodger <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14>

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Posted By: <b>J Levine</b><p>Could be the Maryland School for the Deaf.<br /><br />Joshua

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Posted By: <b>Keith</b><p>Thanks for the nice comments guys. <br /><br />I really appreciate the Maryland school for the deaf possibility. I previously hadn't heard of the school, but am doing some research.<br /><br />The school was founded in the 1860s, and it is a preschool to 12th grade school, so it could possibly explain the varied ages of the players.<br /> <br /><br />thanks again guys.

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Posted By: <b>Keith</b><p>Joshua --&gt; You are the man -you nailed it. <br />The photo is the 1892 Maryland School for the Deaf baseball team. The school's archivist just got back to me, and she somehow recognized a couple of the players right away. She also gave me links to a school newsletter that have matching images of one of the young men. Pretty neat. Gotta love this forum.

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Posted By: <b>Jason L</b><p>but anyone can see that the color of the soil was a dead giveaway! it rather obviously depicts the narrow spectrum of colors present only in the clays surrounding the Chesapeake Bay's silt loams!<br /><br /><img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br />honestly, though, very impressive contribution.

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Posted By: <b>Chris Ahart</b><p>The guy in the second row on the far right is freaking me out. Reminds me of Beeker from The Muppets. <br /><br /><img src="http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e276/cygnusblue/beeker.jpg">

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Posted By: <b>Jason L</b><p>in the very top right....tell me I'm wrong!<br />and maybe the bat boy is that Haley Joel Osment kid?

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Posted By: <b>Joe D.</b><p>LOL - that was funy.

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Posted By: <b>Bruce Babcock</b><p>Haley Joel Osment indeed. I see deaf people.

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Posted By: <b>Jason L</b><p>still laughing.....I can just hear him in my head, ya know (no pun intended)<br /><br />