Coach John Law and Sing Sing Warden Lewis E. Lawes appear in the above inmate football team photo: Law, top row left; Lawes, bottom row, first civilian from left. But which team -- Sing Sing, Woodbourne or Wallkill?

Nothing is printed or written on the photograph.

The fact that both men are in the photo would seem to indicate that the photo was taken at Sing Sing.

Likewise the wall in the background appears very similar to the one in the 1932 Sing Sing football photo (see detail left from that 1932 photo).

But the uniforms do not resemble those in clearly identified Sing Sing team photos. Rather they seem to resemble those in photos believed taken of Law with Wallkill players. On the other hand, all the players above are wearing uniforms of the same design, something Lawes would have insisted on, whereas the Wallkill team photo shows no such design consistency among the uniforms worn.

The photo is part of the John Brenden Law memorabilia entrusted to the NY Correction History Society by his daughter, Dr. Suzanne Law Hawes. All rights retained and reserved. Requests to use for educational and historical non-commercial purposes should be e-mailed to webmaster@correctionhistory.org

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