Ohio Sokol Organization - Toledo, c. 1905

A group of what I believe to be Czech-Americans of a patriotic Sokol rifle association, in a cardboard frame marked Toledo, Ohio. A captain (seated) and three privates flank an unmarked trophy cup. The khaki uniforms are of the style introduced for the U.S. Army at the end of the Spanish-American War and replaced towards 1910 by the olive-drab uniforms as worn in World War One, thus dating this photograph as sometime between 1900 and 1910.  The back of the photo has "Sz. Niedbalski" written in pencil. Below are details of the belt buckle, hat insignia, trophy cup, and captain's shoulder straps.

Another photo shows another man of the same unit. The uniform is the same except for canvas leggings instead of leather ones.

Web page by Mark Conrad, 2004.