1886 Boston Beaneaters
Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
Photographer: F. L. Howe
Photo location: Polo Grounds, New York City.
Photo Subject: This is the Opening Day photo of the Boston Beaneaters who were playing the New York Giants at the original Polo Grounds at 5th Avenue and 110th Street.
Fun Fact: The individual on the back row, far left is Hall of Famer “Old Hoss” Radbourn. He is credited with having pitched 59 wins in 1884. There is some disagreement over the actual number of wins, with some claiming a win total as high as 62. Still, this is a record that should stand the test of time.
But back to the photo . . . If you take a closer look at his left hand; yes, “Old Hoss” is making an obscene gesture. Many believe this is the first photographic capture of the bird. Was he flipping off the photographer, or as some suggest, a member of the New York Giants team who captured his ire.
Painting Detail: Printed on 13” x 19” canvas and painted using Schmincke Mussini oil paints. Finer details were made using Prismacolor pencils.
Acknowledgement: Special thanks to Craig Brown’s website, Threads Of Our Game, which is an excellent resource for pre-1900 baseball uniforms.