Interesting photo..

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Posted By: Rob L

Here is a platinum print I picked up..



Looking at the photo closer, I noticed the diamond-shaped plate. The uniforms appear to be early 1900s, but when did the diamond-shaped plate stop being used?

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Posted By: runscott

is the straw hats the fans are wearing.

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Posted By: hankron

I can't see the shape of home plate in the picture, but home plate was rectangular until 1900. If you ever see the modern shaped plate (however it is literally described), the photo is from the 1900s. Rectangular 1900 and before.

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Posted By: Eric

I've picked up several inexpensive baseball photos from the early 20th century, and one thing I always find as a neat challange is attempting to date them. Your picture many inclusions that can offer assistance. The first thing I'd look at is the catchers gear. Since their gear changed frequently from the late 1800's to the early 1900's..there may be some tell-tale evidence. The people and their dress offer some assistance too, as do the uniforms the players are wearing.

Judging by the catchers mask, the hat on the batter, and the peoples dress, I'd have to say between 1895-1905. Straw hats, or skimmers, were popular during this time. The players hat is indicative of the timeframe, as is the catchers mask. Of course..I may be mistaken..and the date could be outside of my range by 5 years give or take. Just my opinion.

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Posted By: Scott Forrest

Looks like an equal number of bowlers and straw hats, so maybe it's about when the straw hats were taking off, around 1910 I think (but looking on the internet, I couldn't get a more exact date), as opposed to later when almost everyone wore them ("8 men out"), or the first decade of the century when everyone was still wearing bowlers. I always look at the hats.

It doesn't help with this photo, but a dead give-away can be stirrups. I've seen many photos on ebay advertised as 1800's, but players are wearing stirrups, which weren't popular until about 1920. Before then they wore something that was sort of a "cro-magnon stirrup", with elastic at the bottom, but the sock went into the shoe and a flap on the front covered the sock beneath. I have a pair if anyone is curious what they look like.

Also, what about the photography technique? Wouldn't that push it out to 1910+?

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Posted By: Rob L

I don't have David's book in front of me, but I looked it through it last night to see what the history of the platinum print was. Apparently, these prints were first used in the 1880s. They were a more expensive photo and were commonly used for special occasions.

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Posted By: hankron

The photo is turn of the century (c. 1900). Keys: high top shoes, no shin guards for catcher, catcher has quilted pants, no sock stirrups (stirrups introduced early/mid 1910s).

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Posted By: runscott

catcher protective gear:

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Posted By: Pcelli60

I agree with hank about those pants and shoes. 1910's era would have full catchers gear if they are pros. This is probably 1901-05.

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Posted By: Jerry Spillman

David, can you date this game?

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Posted By: hankron

That's one I'd have to see in person before giving an opinion on age. Fine woman's baseball photo, none the less.

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Posted By: Julie

........

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Posted By: hankron

The less I know about the subject in the image, the more I need to examine the photo itself. The image is too small to see the details, including pattern on the mount, and I'm no expert on women's uniforms.

From the posted image, I would guess turn of the 20th century.

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Posted By: Julie

If it's any help---I THINK women wore floor-length DRESSES well past 1900. Of course, a uniform might make some concessions, but if a hot day in NYC produced nothing but floor-length dresses on women, I'd think it would be ditto for a baseball (or softball) game...

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Posted By: Julie

in my short, pre-highschool career...and it wasn't for want of trying. I also never caught a ball in the field.
I never even tried to pitch. So naturally, my participation in women's basaeball games 35 years before I was born was limited...

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Posted By: runscott

...that you think the picture is from about 1870?

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Posted By: Julie

neither did anonymous's.

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Posted By: Julie

only invites more B.S.

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Posted By: runscott

...if not, I don't mind crashing the party occasionally