Kalamazoo Bats, or K-Bats for short, were issued out of Philadelphia by Charles Gross & Company circa 1887. These sepia photographs, mounted on cardboard, are among the toughest 19th Century cards to collect and are also extremely popular.   This combination is one that leads to spirited competition when examples pop up. This blank-backed card of the Athletics Charlie Mason is one of but three in the SGC pop report but has had the K-Bats ad excised at the bottom, rendering it Authentic in grade. A crease across the middle of the card is seen, while the image of Mason in a suit and hat remains strong. Given the relatively strong condition of the reverse, it seems this card was never mounted in an album.