Pre-War Cards

‘It’s In The Details’

Title	McLoughlin Amusement for Boys to Cut Out Paper Dolls / Baseball Nines
Year	1894-95
Size	Various (Die-Cut)
Images	Color
Type	Game Cards / Miscellaneous
Number in Set	66 (11 per team)

1894-95 McLoughlin Amusement for Boys to Cut Out Paper Dolls / Baseball Nines Overview

This rare and unique set remained a mystery for some time. These are paper cut outs of players from various teams in the late 1800s. They were often believed to be printed in the 1880s but recent evidence links them to 1894-95. They were printed by McLoughlin Brothers, who made all sorts of paper dolls for boys and girls to cut out. This page says they appear to be the 1894-95 Baseball Nines issue from a McLoughlin catalog from that time.

These are pictures of generic baseball players (using specific teams, however) in a variety of action poses. They were printed in uncut sheets of paper allowing boys to cut them out to make their own die-cut ‘cards.’ While considered cards by collectors, these are actually printed on a paper stock and not cardboard. Team sets were issued for at least six teams – Boston, Chicago, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, and an unknown team.

The same players/poses were used for each team, thus making them a generic issue, similar to the N284 Buchner Gold Coin cards in that regard. You can see one of the full team strips here.

The McLoughlin link extends beyond simply the aforementioned catalog, however. This McLoughlin Base Ball game issued in the 1890s interestingly uses the exact same images. These are very clearly McLoughlin cards.

Finally, here are cutouts for the four teams. Note that the manager cut out that was pictured in the uncut team sheet is not included in these images.

1894-95 McLoughlin Amusement for Boys to Cut Out Paper Dolls / Baseball Nines Checklist

11 different pictures were printed for each team, making a grand total of 66 known in the set. Each card below was issued for Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, New York, and the unknown team.

These are listed from left to right in the appearance on the uncut sheets.

1. Fielder, hands on knees, legs apart (front view)
2. Fielder hands on knees (back view)
3. Batter
4. Fielder, hands on knees close together
5. Fielder, hands on knees, looking off to side
6. Fielder, hands off knees, looking slightly to side
7. Fielder, hands off knees, right hand above left
8. Pitcher follow through
9. Fielder, hand at hat
10. Fielder, hands on knees, shorter
11. Manager

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