1901 Chicago Orphans ID

[rholmes]

Originally Posted by RUKen

Good catch; they can't both be in the photo. Given the fuzziness of the picture and the fact that both of the players in question have their caps pulled down low on their foreheads, I think that Pete is about as good a match for the player on the left as Cupid is for the center player. Are there any other photos that were apparently taken on the same day, that would help establish a date?

The three players are cropped from a larger photo. See wider crop below. Location is of course the Polo Grounds. The configuration of the dirt behind home plate places the photo to 1902 or earlier. The Giants are seen warming up on the 1st base side of field, in white caps pre-1903. What can be seen of 'New York' on Giants jerseys rules out 1900. The Orphans uniforms are 1900-1902. The sign on the tripod at home plate actually reads New York vs Chicago.

What sways me toward the center player being Cupid Childs, aside from features, is his cap cocked toward his left ear, a thing he seemed to have a tendency to do, seen in many of his photos.