T. M. Swem
 

Has anyone heard of an 1880s baseball photographer named T. M. Swem from St. Paul, MN? His cabinet looks strikingly similar to Old Judge poses. Was it a standard to get cabinets taken in a baseball uniform in that sort of pose back then (something of a novelty that average people did), or is it usually a real baseball player of some sort?

Not familiar with the photographer and am not aware of regular lay people dressing like baseball players for a photo, but I guess it could have certainly happened. Others might know more....

I should have gave you guys the link (duh):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380860711834...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

cool image!

Thomas M Swem (1848-1931): St. Paul, Minnesota photographer born in Ohio. Operated a studio in St. Paul from 1882-1900. Passed away in Medford, Oregon 1931.

Here's a collection of his cabinet cards at the Minnesota Historical Society. Nearly 100 images without one being a baseball player, mostly portraits of "actual" people including members of fraternal orders, firemen, servicemen, women, families, etc. The ballplayer seems to be a unique image (to view his other cabinets click "see related records") :

http://collections.mnhs.org/cms/part...,%20Thomas%20M.

Great image!

+ 1 on the great image. The interesting/funny thing about it is, to me anyway, is that outside of the shoes and stockings, is that well over 100+ years later he's attired just like a lot of people I know, including myself. I would love to own those shoes and if I could afford a period warm-up sweater I would wear them both around town. My interpretation is the guy is a civilian who loves baseball.