1800's One Handed Baseball Player Photo

[joed25]

I recently bought this photo on ebay. Does anyone have any info on it? It is signed on the bottom. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you so much. Joe

[swarmee]

Names look like "Everton Bruder" and "A. Gridley" to me. Why do you think they are baseball players? The uniforms?

[joed25]

Originally Posted by swarmee

Names look like "Everton Bruder" and "A. Gridley" to me. Why do you think they are baseball players? The uniforms?

The seller thought it was baseball players. I'm not certain. Thanks.

[JollyElm]

It's possible the answer lies in the seated player's left hand. Identifying that cloth(?) item (or items?) may drive this quest forward.

[drcy]

1860s and looks original. I don't think it is baseball, but is interesting due to the one-armed guy.

Can't figure out how to delete the duplicate post.

I’m reading the book “Mint Condition” right now about the history of baseball and baseball cards and there is an entire chapter on baseball and how it flourished in the Civil War. Could be some of the players from those early loosely organized teams. Maybe how he lost his arm also. Just a thought. I had never realized how many baseball leagues and teams there were during the civil war. It was a huge diversion for troops during wartime.

[swarmee]

I like that the sleeve is tucked into his pants. I think most times I've seen images of people who lost limbs (or weren't born with them), the sleeve is cut down and sewn shut.

Great image, whether they are ballplayers or just dudes.

[Jim65]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

It's possible the answer lies in the seated player's left hand. Identifying that cloth(?) item (or items?) may drive this quest forward.

Looks like a hat to me.

[Bigdaddy]

I'm thinking the photographer just caught him in an awkward moment.

[drcy]

Originally Posted by Bigdaddy

I'm thinking the photographer just caught him in an awkward moment.

[Michael B]

From the National Archives. Several soldiers with a first name of Everton, but nothing with a similar last name.

Gridley, Albert
BATTLE UNIT NAME:
57th Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry
SIDE:
Union
COMPANY:
C
SOLDIER'S RANK IN:
Private
SOLDIER'S RANK OUT:
Private
ALTERNATE NAME:
Albert A./Gridley
FILM NUMBER:
M554 ROLL 46
PLAQUE NUMBER:
NOTES:
none

Mustered in March, 1864. Mustered out with regiment June 29, 1865. Probably not the same person. The soldier probably did not see much action this late in the war. He was from either Mercer or Allegheny County, PA

[Michael B]

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[joed25]

Thank you everyone for all your help!! Much appreciated.

[icurnmedic]

The one armed dude looks like he is wearing Puma's from the 1980's with the big tongue looking lace covers. Not sure if that was cleats back then or not.

[icurnmedic]

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...MygHegUIARDcAg


https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...MygQegUIARDvAg

[luciobar1980]

Cool photo and info! My first thought was also "I don't think those necessarily look like baseball players".

[Leon]

Originally Posted by luciobar1980

Cool photo and info! My first thought was also "I don't think those necessarily look like baseball players".

+1. Without provenance or baseball items it is always difficult to tell if a cdv, tintype or whatever, is baseball or not. There is a leap of faith and i don't usually take them in this kind of instance. Very cool photo either way.

..

[drcy]

Originally Posted by icurnmedic

The one armed dude looks like he is wearing Puma's from the 1980's with the big tongue looking lace covers. Not sure if that was cleats back then or not.

That's not what baseball cleats looked like back then.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by drcy

That's not what baseball cleats looked like back then.

Good point. Not sure if I have seen baseball shoes like that before.

.

[Pack The Ripper]

The photographer's obituary is linked below. He led quite an interesting life.

LINK: https://aadl.org/node/116307

[kmac32]

Originally Posted by drcy

1860s and looks original. I don't think it is baseball, but is interesting due to the one-armed guy.

Actually he is a paper hanger. Haven’t you ever heard of busier than a one armed paper hanger?