[Merkle923]

"The Illustrated American" claims this is the second-year catcher and sometimes first baseman for the '94 Giants - I think it's actually pitcher Meekin (above).

Whoever he is, he's carrying what one assumes was something a fan brought to the game: a flag encouraging the home team to finish off Baltimore. And he's the centerpiece to what is, for my money, as great a 19th Century baseball photo as any ever taken.

Again looking at the background, that train is part of what was New York's extensive elevated rapid transit system - and a city tradition of having trains run right back of a ballpark and visible from within (Polo Grounds, Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium). All or part of that line remained in exactly that spot - just over the Polo Grounds fence - until the Giants moved to San Francisco after the 1957 season. It would eventually connect over a bridge over the adjoining Harlem River, to the still-running "El" train that runs past Yankee Stadium.