Nick DiNatale

Documentary & editorial photographer based in Boston, Massachusetts.

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1908 Red Sox Jersey. 3/4 sleeve. string tie neck line. One sock logo. Where do I get one?

Email me! I haven't checked my blog for like a year. [email protected]

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Local Nine

Local Nine is a handmade baseball garment company rooted in fiber arts. We specialize in making jerseys, caps, sweaters, and more.

Hello! I'm very excited to finally share Local Nine with the world. This is my avenue for selling my handmade baseball garments. Whether you're interested in commissioning me to make something (info about this on the site), you're a diehard fan, you like fiber arts, or you know nothing about baseball and just like history, I'm here to share my love of baseball with you and hopefully pique your interest in the sport. I hope you'll take a look. Lots more to come.

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This has been in the works for a bit now, but here's my (imagined) 1939 World's Fair baseball warmup sweater. Knitted from 100% wool yarn, double stranded to match the weight of the real sweaters from the first few decades of the 20th century. While no such sweater ever existed, baseball definitely played a part in the Fair. All three New York teams wore these patches during the 1939 season, and the Fair pulled in well known players to draw attention to their Academy of Sport. (Babe Ruth donned the attached uniform in a parade to promote the Fair).

These sweaters were a truly integral part of the baseball uniform during the early days, as more modern jackets didn't exist yet. Very few remain now, and very rarely are reproductions made. I am very open to commissions, though they take a fair amount of time.

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Florida, 2020

While in Florida earlier this year I drove by this building multiple times. While heading to the airport to leave, I finally stopped and made some photos of it.

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The lone traffic light in the village of Cooperstown, New York. Despite the 300,000 visitors per year that the National Baseball Hall of Fame draws annually, this remains the only one. It rests at the  far end of downtown from the Hall where Main and Chestnut Street intersect.

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Jackie Robinson’s Hall of Fame plaque in Cooperstown, NY. When he arrived on the ballot in 1962, Robinson asked that writers vote only based on his playing career and accomplishments on the field. As a result, his plaque also reflected those wishes and omitted any mention of his breaking the color barrier. In 2008, a new plaque was unveiled and added one line - “Displayed tremendous courage and poise in 1947 when he integrated the modern major leagues in the face of intense adversity.” The staining of the wood around the plaque is a result of visitors pressing their hands to the area in order to be close to, or touch the plaque. The only other plaque with this level of staining in the Hall of Fame gallery is Roberto Clemente.

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An image I made of Doubleday Field two weekends ago while visiting Cooperstown. The grounds that Doubleday Field reside on have been used for baseball since 1920. The current steel and concrete grandstand replaced the old wooden one in 1939, the same year the Hall of Fame was dedicated just two blocks away. While Abner Doubleday is essentially an irrelevant name when it comes to baseball these days (it’s now widely known that the Mills Commission fabricated the accounts that baseball was invented here by him as a marketing ploy), the fields name remains unchanged. This image is composed of three 35mm negatives.

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The other day we lost my uncle Bruce. I visited him a few weeks ago and was able to talk baseball with him, and listen to him and my mom reminisce about the old spots in their hometown. He was just shy of a week from his 83rd birthday, but he was tired. I’ll always cherish the time I was able to spend him, even though it wasn’t all too often (he lived in Jacksonville ever since he left the Navy as a young man). I made some 4x5 portraits of him on what was probably one of the last chances he had to get outside and sit. We chatted and watched the squirrels.

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1927 Philadelphia Athletics jersey that I completed a few weeks ago but hadn't had a chance to post. Looking for more commissions on hats and jerseys. Inquire within.

Third photo features Al Simmons wearing this jersey in 1927. The Athletics white elephant survives to this day and is featured on most Oakland uniforms.

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Recently made this turn of the century "Chicago style" ball cap. 100% wool, cotton thread, leather sweatband. Early on in the history of baseball uniforms, there wasn't a commonly accepted hat style, so it varied from club to club.

The last photo is of Louis Sockalexis, one of the first Native American individuals to sign a contract. Following his time in the major leagues, he signed on to play with the Lowell Tigers for the 1902 season. The Tigers were outfitted with similar caps.

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L DORADO

Currently selling prints of any of my work to help fund a project I’m printing. Message if you’re interested. Thank you.

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Wrapped up this 1911 New York Giants jersey the other day. As usual, 100% wool flannel, cotton thread, and wool felt for the logo patch. Available for purchase - just send me a message or email. Also looking for commissions for other jersey designs.

Team uniforms varied quite a bit from player to player back at the beginning of the 20th century as players opted for different sleeve lengths or collar choices based on personal preference. In the photo included below, John McGraw is pictured with full long sleeves, where Christy Mathewson has half sleeves with button-on extensions. This uniform features a 'sun collar,' which were prevalent around 1910. Pictured underneath the jersey is a plain cotton undershirt, which were used at the time to absorb sweat, add warmth, and presumably to avoid chaffing from the wool flannel while running or throwing.

Black uniforms hold a special place in New York Giants history, as manager John McGraw outfitted his teams with them for the World Series in 1905, 1906, and 1911. Historical photo was taken by Luke A. Thomas for the Boston Post.

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1911 / 1912 Chicago Cubs jersey. 100% wool. Created using the included photo of John McGraw and Johnny Evers as a reference. The 1911 Cubs made a good run at the National League pennant, but fell short of McGraw’s New York Giants.

This jersey is for sale. Please send a PM or email if interested.

[email protected]

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I've never been to Hawley, Pennsylvania, but I made an entirely custom jersey for it. I had absolutely no reference for this one, so it was an entirely creative endeavor. 'Road grey' wool flannel, felted wool lettering.

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Commissioned 1908 Red Sox jersey that was given as a Christmas gift.

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Wannalancit Smokestack Christmas Tree, Lowell, MA.

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Worthen Street, Lowell, MA.

Taken earlier this week.