Mate to the previous lot. 1888 Matanzas team image depicts nine team members (not coincidentally the exact number required to field a full baseball team) dressed in full uniform along w/one gentleman dressed in formal attire, likely the manager/owner. Prominently displayed at center front of the photo is a bat rack, likely housing the club’s entire supply of baseball bats for game play. Noticeably missing from this image is the lack of any baseball gloves, a good indication that these players likely were catching barehanded. We have been unable to positively identify any individual ballplayers pictured because quality images from that period are not available for comparison. However, we do have the team roster for that season consisting of the following players: Jose Amieva, Felipe Blanco, Silvio Blanco, Federico Delgado, Leopoldo Dulzaides, Felipe Hernandez, Estanislao Lamadrid, Pablo Llorach, Francisco Martin, Manuel Oliveras, Enrique Ovares, Nicanor Ovares, Victor Planas, Jose Pujols and Pablo Tapanes. The team photo itself measures 6.5x8-5/8” w/team name and date in a banner at top. As issued, the photo is mounted to a cardboard backing and housed inside a mat w/team name and dated printed on bottom margin. 9.25x11.5” overall. Cardboard backing is missing a 1x2” piece from lower right corner, which does not affect the team photo at all. Backing has other margin wear, some long but lt. creases at lower left. Good. Mat has trace of age, Fine. Team image is light as the photo development process of the period oftentimes was barely adequate for preserving images, however all can still be made out. Fine. Richard Merkin Collection.