From the Musee McCord Museum Archives, here are some terrific photographs of individual and team sports from the turn of the (past) century. I love reprinting images of historical athletes as evidence of a time when athletic prowess was conflated with a snappy, well tailored presentation for the camera. Here, in the McCord image set, both male and female athletes wear sporting garb that could easily double as street clothing. I long for the days when heraldic emblems, plus fours, bowler hats, wool knits and striped tunics were de rigeur elements of the the amateur sporting uniform.
John Lowe, 1931
Frank Barnwell, 1891
Louis Rubenstein, 1893
Rowing Crew, 1871
Fencers, 1925
"Bonnie Lassies" group, 1891
YWCA Water Polo Team, 1925
Hurdle race on snowshoes, 1892
Trafagler Basketball Institute, 1928
YWCA Water Polo Team, 1925
Bank of Montreal Hockey Team, 1895
Kahnawake Lacrosse, 1867
Wesleyan Thelogical Basketball Team, 1916
Physical Education Hockey Group, 1925
