1878 ca. Game in Action CDV - Pitcher? (large pic)

[molenick]

First of all, that's another nice cdv from Leon. The photographer is J. A. French of Keene, NH which, according to https://www.langdonroad.com/fo-to-fy, is a later incarnation of French & Sawyer (also of Keene) who took the photo on another cdv Leon once owned.

As a total guess, I am thinking this is kind of a "school photo" where the photographer told the girls to all look out the windows, told some boys to pose as if they were playing ball, and told the rest of the boys to stand around. The batter is kind of in the middle of the infield and, as Leon said, there doesn't seem to be a pitcher. So I would still call it "in action" but I don't think they are actually playing a game. They also seem to be in their "Sunday best" which they may not have been wearing for an actual game (I am guessing they would have at least taken their jackets off).

All conjecture, of course.

And a great image!

Edited to add: what I thought were infield lines may just be walking paths. Also, I do see pitcher candidates, but they all seem kind of distant for a game of this time period and age of players.