This real photo postcard depicts Jack Chesbro in his New York Highlanders uniform at the September 29, 1905 game between the Middletown Asylum reunion team and the Cuban X Giants which took place on the grounds of the Middletown State Homeopathic Hospital in Middletown, New York.

This was the same game that another RPPC in the Collection that depicts the Asylum team.

In this RPPC Chesbro is seen on the bench, likely between innings given the jacket thrown over his shoulders. The jacket is likely one similar to, if not the same one, the jacket the player to his left is wearing in the team photo.

The composition of this shot is exquisite. Note the flag and baseball detritus at left, the tight focus on Chesbro and the men to his left and right and Chesbro’s white uniform contrasting against the drab colors of the other men.

A description of the game in the next day’s Daily Argus newspaper mentions that a photographer took many photos of the game and that they would be produced as postcards. This is likely one of them as it was posted in early October 1905 as shown below. The “5” in “1905” can be just made out below the “E” in “THE”.

Game RPPCs, and for that matter all baseball RPPCs, from 1905 are extremely rare.