Demaree and Mathewson in Marlin Springs, TX

Al Demaree is holding the ball, but he's the least interesting character in this March 1912 photo. The New York Giants are in Marlin Springs, Texas for spring training, and Demaree had been joined by Matty near some kind of backstop. Mathewson is wearing his long, woolen sweater and appears quite content to look at the camera as the picture was taken. However, the most curious figure of all is the young, black man with the floppy hat leaning against the backstop. I can almost see him in operation, asking for small jobs, offering to run errands, hanging about enthralled by the action. This kid was all over the place at that facility. I know because there were other photos from this same shoot, and all of them featured this cool kid. We'll never know his name, but he would be the one with the great stories.