19th century photo mystery

[steve B]

Pretty sure it's not Connor, and track sounds right.

And call me odd, but the lighting they used made his eyes look odd. Like lizard eyes or something, which to me only makes the picture cooler.

Steve B
Whos family is from Waterbury.

Originally Posted by Michele

Is there any chance he could be baseball player Roger Connor of Waterbury, Connecticut (where the photo was taken)?

[drc]

It could be a track star / vampire photographed in infrared light.

[Michele]

Thanks again for everyone's help ... I'll assume my mystery man is a track athlete!

I wish I knew what that diaper apron thing was, though. An early 19th century athletic cup, maybe?

[Michele]

By jove, drc has it!

A vampire track star!

[aaroncc]

The cabinet photo is of a pedestrian. I have made the mistake in the past of misidentifying some pedestrians for boxers. Here is another photo of a pedestrian from Bill Schutte's collection.

[Michele]

Aaroncc, thank you for that invaluable tip! I had never heard of the sport of pedestrianism before, so I looked it up on Wikipedia:

Pedestrianism was a 19th-century form of competitive walking, often professional and funded by wagering, from which the modern sport of racewalking developed.

I, also, originally thought this mystery man was a boxer ... until I saw the cleats on his shoes.

I think you've solved the mystery!