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New York circa 1908. "Balmer's bathing beach, Coney Island." Beer, peanuts, surf and sand! 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
I think the risque bather is a lifeguard. He looks rather muscular, and his outfit looks just like this fellow's https://www.shorpy.com/node/6901
Balmer's Bathing Pavilion was on the east side of the intersection of West Fifth and Surf Avenues. Land now now occupied by the New York Aquarium.
That's an a-shirt/tank-top/muscle shirt/wifebeater. Shorts-guy was just ahead of his time. (Muscle shirts on the beach are SO East Coast.)
There must have been far fewer people who could swim back then. A web of ropes, the most elaborate we've seen in one of these views, to hang off while frolicking in the surf.
And are those arc lights at the top of those poles out in the water? Would they have had nighttime swimming?
Finally, is that big boxy building in the distance Steeplechase Park?
After all that lot, you'd need a bath!
Hard to tell with the blurred photo, but it appears to show a man in ankle-deep water wearing shorter than normal trunks, and with his bathing shirt REMOVED! Is this the reason for throngs of people on shore ... waiting for the police to make a pinch to protect probriety?
Looks like camera was accidentally moved when this picture was shot.
[Yes, it was bumped, so the picture is not up to the usual Shorpy sharpness standard. - Dave]
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