1850s/ 1860s belt used by both baseball players and firemen of the era. Belts like these were in fashion for both of these closely aligned groups in the mid 19th C. (see the image of the 1860 Bklyn Excelsiors) . This one just happens to be from NY (per mfg. info which is the same mfg. of the Baraboo BBC belt in the HoF ) and reflects the name "Excelsiors". While no definitive claim can be made that it was specifically used for baseball, such a claim cannot specifically be refuted either.
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