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Circa 1890s. "Base ball team, U.S. Naval Academy." Go Annapolis! 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
They're just getting ready for the Hot Stove League!
Early gloves were hardly the engineering marvels worn by today's players. Seen here are some "gloves" that likely offered less padding/protection than many current bicycle riding gloves -- or current oven mitts.
All hail the mustachioed sphere-flingers!
Two words was not uncommon for this time if you check older dictionaries. I have also seen where it was "base-ball." In one 1890s dictionary it also states that it is very popular in Japan!
Looks like an especially athletic cooking class!
rarely seen in photographs of baseball players and equipment from this era: an unscuffed, totally clean and white baseball.
Nice to see the easy affection men could demonstrate in 1890 (before Freud came along) like the two handsome men seated to the left. Today's sports figures would not want people to surmise in any way that they might be playing on "the other team."
was this decade called the Gay Nineties.
Some things have changed, but the dimensions of the diamond haven't.
Man on the left has a huge knuckle on his index finger, maybe hurt trying to stab a line drive. So interesting to see the equipment used in the 1890s.
Are freckles a requirement at the Academy?
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