This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/5/2007
Early images of football players are much rarer than those of baseball players, probably because there were more young men who played the relatively genteel bat and ball game of baseball than the much rougher game of football. Although by the end of the nineteenth century football enjoyed enormous popularity particularly on college campuses. The game was played only by the schools' hardiest boys who could take the punishment. In fact, by the early twentieth century there were so many crippling gridiron injuries that President Teddy Roosevelt, whose own son was a football star, called forth a special blue ribbon White House Conference to study the growing problem of injuries on the football field. Many folks wanted the game banned all together, however cooler heads prevailed after men like “Pop” Warner and Grantland Rice helped institute reforms that included the use of newer and better protective gear.
These five nineteenth century tin type images portray young footballers in period equipment. All show full figured young men, two using footballs as props, one holding his cap and another duo posing with their team mascot dog. Additionally one pair of men is wearing medals, likely from a football related contest. All measure approximately 2 1/2” by 3 1/2” and one is contained in its leather encasement. The portrait at the bottom is included only because it was at one time hinged to the image of the young football player on its right.
Estimate: $2,500-3,500