19th century photo mystery

[Michele]

What kind of 19th century athlete is this man?

And can anyone explain the elf shoes and the diaper flap thingie around his waist?

I believe the photo dates to the 1880s or so.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Jay Wolt]

Maybe he's not an athlete, perhaps a dancer or an actor

[Michele]

His shoes look like they have cleats.

[Michele]

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

[thecatspajamas]

For comparison

[drc]

The guy is wearing spikes, so my strong guess is he's a track athlete. Spikes were and still are worn by runners.

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by drc

The guy is wearing spikes, so my strong guess is he's a track athlete. Spikes were and still are worn by runners.

I agree, David!

[Mr. Zipper]

Originally Posted by Michele

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

Hard to tell for sure, but the mystery man appears to have wider rounder eyes and a more square jaw than Connor. And Conner has more prominent eyebrows.

Hard to make an ear comparison because the angles are different.

[Michele]

Thanks for the helpful comments.

I only thought of Roger Connor after I read this on Google:

By 1860 there were more than 55,000 Irish immigrants living in Connecticut, making it the largest ethnic majority. Most were unskilled and found work in urban areas like at Waterbury's many brassware and clock-making factories. During the latter part of the 19th and early 20th century, many boxing events occurred in Waterbury. This was due in part to the national popularity of Irish boxers like "Gentle Jim" Corbett and John L. Sullivan.

Roger Connor was a six-foot, three-inch left-handed baseball player. Born in Waterbury in 1857, he played first and third base with a series of teams, including the Giants and Phillies. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976, more than 40 years after his death. He is buried at St. Joseph Cemetery in Waterbury.

I also noticed that Roger Connor's ears protruded noticeably, like my mystery guy's ears, and they also share a thick neck. Since the photo was taken in Waterbury, I thought it might be a long shot.

Below is a composite of the mystery man and photos of Roger Connor:

[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!