Info requested on 1890's cabinet card

[spec]

Originally Posted by GregMitch34

Not sure if relevant but I recently picked up this Cabinet of Boston Beaneater, Tom Gunning. In this case, it's a Boston studio--they have it labeled circa 1888 but must be earlier as he only played in Boston 1882-1886. I see no record of existence of any other example of this cabinet--or the photo studio. Would seem odd that no other Beaneater had it done there? Or did players just do it on their own and this could even be old Tom's only copy? Interesting to speculate...
http://www.net54baseball.com/attachm...1&d=1387511386

Greg,
Over many years of baseball research in Boston, I never encountered anything indicating this studio photographed baseball players. In this period, Hastings, Waldon Smith, Conly and Gray were often mentioned in connection with the teams. However, there were many photographers in Boston and I suspect Gunning chose Pepper for this personal portrait. If you Google A.F. Pepper, you will find other cabinet photos with his imprint. As for the time frame, Gunning was from the Boston area (born in Newmarket, NH; attended Boston College and Holy Cross in Worcester, and after completing med school at the University of Pennsylvania practice for many years in nearby Fall River, MA. Thus, he might have had this photo taken by Pepper any time between 1880 and 1900. Nonetheless, it was a nice pickup. How did you happen to spot it and make the connection to baseball?
Bo.b Rich.ardson