Is this a baseball bat?
 

Can anyone tell me if this is a baseball bat, rounders bat, some form of old cricket bat, or not a bat at all?

<img src="http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/rman444/misc%20pictures/tintypebat.jpg">

Looks like a fancy walking stick. It's definitely not a bat.

He looks like a chimney sweep.

has to be
 

The ears look like it could be Ty Cobb or Joe Jackson.

prop stand. possibly a post-mortem photo.

You guys are clearly overlooking the ball cupped in his right hand.

No, he has a valve stem cover in his right hand, and a big bicycle pump in the other.

Head Rest Stand
 

I agree with Ladder7. He is leaning on the bottom part of a headrest stand. Headrest stands were used to keep the head (& body) still during those long exposure time waits. The top of it (where the head rests) has been taken off. Go to this link>> http://www.artgallery.sa.gov.au/noye/Misc/Headrest.htm

Ah, excellent! Thanks for the link - I think you are correct!

Now if I said that this fine gentleman took that stand and whacked a baseball with it later that day . . .

This has to be the most obscure piece of knowledge I have seen on this board. To me it looked like a sawed off hat stand. I am constantly impressed with the knowledge on this board!!

When I saw the initial post, I thought it might get 1 or 2 replies... no offense rman444, but it was a monumental stretch to claim this photo is baseball-related in any way...

The fact that it's gotten this much play is a testiment to the Board's "wealth of useless knowledge". So maybe we can get this thing to 20 posts or even more! With that said, I believe the object to be a turn-of-the-century Oar (with the paddle portion cut off).

NO....it can't be...is it me or... does that say... wonder boy? I think I see a W!





I have been there man...hoping....
mmmm......lottery ticket. :D