Very Early Football Photograph With African American

A vintage gelatin silver photograph, ca. 1875-1905, depicting an early scholastic football team. N.p. The photograph shows 17 high school- or college-aged male athletes seated in four rows on a building's stone steps. An African American man is seated next to two White players in the top row; it is unclear if he too was a player as most of his clothing is obscured. Many of the players are wearing rudimentary quilted leather shoulder and elbow pads over button-up or pullover sweaters, knee-length pants, sock-covered shin guards, and cleats. The photograph is affixed to a black cardstock mount with a decorative gilt-washed border. Expected wear scattered water spots, scuffs, and wrinkles. Isolated silvering is evident towards the bottom. The mount has a minor chipped edge at lower left. Stains verso. Else near fine. The photograph measures 9.675" x 7.875" while the mount measures 11.125" x 9.875."

This photograph is very interesting in many respects, not the least of which is the apparent coexistence of different races during the Jim Crow era. The photograph also alludes to the incremental development of safety equipment in the early game. These changes were implemented in the wake of many terrible injuries and even deaths on the field, casualties that spurred 26th U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt to implore "cleaning up the game." Football remains America's most popular sport today.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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