ANY INFO on 1860's CDV PHOTO of BASEBALL PLAYER w/ BAT

[antqpics]

I have an 1860's cdv photo of a baseball player with bat. Bat has MBBC printed on it. Card has a backmark of Hagerstown, MD. Any info or idea of value would be appreciated.
I'm brand new to this site so bear with me please.

[Kawika]

Great looking photo. No idea as to its value. Others here will know much more about items from that era than I do. I googled "mbbc maryland baseball". Came up with links to a couple of pages related to early Baltimore baseball history and references to a "Maryland Base Ball Convention" and an Antietam club in Hagerstown. Have a look. Might shed a little bit of light on your photo.

http://baseballhistoryblog.com/categ...istory/page/2/

http://baseballhistoryblog.com/2006/...eball-part-10/

There is a link to the website's author Brian McKenna (click "About Me"). If the scholars at Net54 hit a dead end you might contact him.

[antqpics]

Hi,
Thanks for the info. I'll check into that. I thought maybe the initials just stood for Maryland Base Ball Club. So I'll definitely try to research more.
I appreciate your time & help.

[drcy]

It's a solid 1860s baseball cdv, perhaps worth a few hundred dollars. Nice condition, clear image.

Many baseball photos from this era are anonymous, so you don't have to know the team or player name for the photo to have value. Probably 90% of baseball tintypes show unidentified players and teams.

[antqpics]

This is a cartes de visite or cdv. On the album page was written Tom Baker of Funkstown. Whether that's his real name or not, I don't know. I hand wrote it on the back of the card for reference in pencil.

[drcy]

I originally meant CDV, but it somehow came out as tintype. Corrected myself.

There aren't many 1860s baseball photos, and I don't recall seeing an example with team letters on the bat like that.

[GaryPassamonte]

Very nice mid-late 1860s single player CdV. I would put it in the $600.-$800. dollar range.

[barrysloate]

Great looking CdV. It's in excellent shape, has a player wearing long pants (meaning it's early), he is holding a beautiful bat with writing visible on the barrel, it's all there. Easily worth $600-800.

[sb1]

On the 1860 census a 15 year old Thomas Baker is living in Funkstown, Washington county, Maryland with his parents Samuel and Lavina. Would probably have to be this subject, making him 20+/- years old when this was taken.


Here is more info from the Hagerstown Torch

Feb 1866 As the season for playing of Base
Ball will begin in a few weeks, and as the
necessity for organization some time before
is imperative, all the old members of the
club of '65 are earnestly requested to be present
at the first regular meeting in the County
Hall, on Thursday. March 1st. at 5 o'clock
P. M. Applications of new members will
also be received at said meeting. A failure
to be present may result in loss of membership
as the number allowed by the constitution
is limited.

June 1866

A number of young men met in Junior Hall
Thursday evening last, and organized a Base
Ball Club, to be known as the "Washington
Base Ball Club of Hagerstown There will be
a meeting at the Court House, on Thursday
evening for the election of officers.

Note: by this time the county already had the Antietam Base Ball Club which I find several newspaper references to. I also find an 1865 article in regards to the Hagerstown Base Ball Club. Still no mention of "Maryland Base Ball Club"

[barrysloate]

1865-67 would be a reasonable guesstimate for this CdV.

[sb1]

The back might also help date it, as to photographers address and the usage of revenue stamps.

[drcy]

My impression is the original poster knows alot about old photos, just was just not an expert on baseball subjects. He already knew it was an 1860s CDV and his user names give that away.