After seasons of 587 and 434 innings pitched, Boston Beaneaters pitcher Charles Buffinton (misspelled "Buffington" on this N690 card) suffered with arm trouble, his play limited to "just" 151 innings in 1886 (only two of the five starting pitchers on the 2023 World Champion Texas Rangers pitched more innings).  As a result, his contract was sold to the Philadelphia Phillies in the Spring of 1887, where he would experience a rebound, winning 21 games or more in each of the next three seasons, despite being portrayed on this card as an outfielder (where he would also play 22 games in 1887).  

As is the case with the known Kalamazoo Bats cards of all Buffinton's teammates, the photo was taken outdoors at the Baker Bowl (known then as the Huntingdon Street Grounds), the team's new park.  These photos are gorgeous, and represent some of the best examples of early ballpark photography.  In this case, Buffinton stands posed as if to deliver a pitch, several teammates visible in the background, what appears to be the the outfield fences in the distance.  Graded EX 5 by SGC, this is extremely high-grade for the issue (they have graded just 14 examples of any card higher than this).  A clear, sharp image is well-centered on the canvas, with four slightly-touched but still square corners and a clean surface.  An exceptional card, one of the most pleasing examples we have handled.