South Carolina Early Baseball Player 1907 Real Photo Postcard

This portrait captures a baseball player from the early 20th century, a pivotal period when baseball was rapidly cementing its status as America's national pastime. The player's attire, with its distinct uniform and bat, reflects the equipment and styles prevalent during the "dead-ball era," roughly spanning from the 1900s to the late 1910s, before the rise of power hitting transformed the game.

Early baseball uniforms, often made of wool, featured elements like knickerbockers and high boots, as seen here, along with a team initial on the jersey, signifying belonging to a local club, amateur squad, or fledgling professional team. Studio portraits of athletes were a common practice to document participation in the burgeoning sport, highlighting baseball's growing cultural significance in communities across the United States.