Frank, a lot of catchers posed that same way back then. If a ball had been thrown, it seems it would have hit them in the chest.
In the 1880's catchers gloves were sold in pairs - the right-hand glove was fingerless for throwing, and the other glove came with or without finger-tips. The 1885 Spalding ad descriptions are sort of difficult to decipher, describing the gloves as 'left-handed', but 'sold in pairs'. The 1889 Reach Guide is a bit more clear: "Full left hand, made of the best and heaviest mouse-colored buckskin. The full left hand glove with or without sole leather finger tips. Extra thick padding and lined with best Chamois skin. The right hand glove is made without fingers, extra padded."
Addendum regarding the first non-catcher Reach baseball gloves: The 1889 Reach Guide also describes their new fielders gloves ("this season we introduce for the first time"), also sold in pairs. They state "it is soft and pliable that a player can pick up a ball as well with as without it....All professionals are wearing the Fielder's glove."
Unfortunately, my versions of these guides are too old and brittle to make photocopies of the drawings. I'll try to take photos later.
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