I am posting photos from my collection each week along with a brief explanation of what I know about the photos.

I am right-handed. My late wife, Karen was right-handed.

When we were raising our first child, our son John, we just assumed that he too was right-handed. That he could be left-hand predominant never entered our collective minds.

I taught John how to play all sports right-handed, just like ‘dear ol’ Dad.’

He throws right-handed, bats right-handed, catches right-handed, bowls right-handed, shoots in hockey, you guessed it, right-handed.

What a shock then to recognize much later that he is left-handed!

I have been spending a fair amount of time recently ensuring that all of my old family photos are scanned and filed electronically. This is a time consuming endeavour that almost all genealogists endure to make certain that precious family photo records are preserved in an organized fashion. The electronic copies are also a great way to ensure these records are able to be stored, ideally in multiple locations, should something bad happen to the originals. I have even made sure that my old home movies and videotapes are similarly digitized, organized and stored.

While going through a box of ‘old’ photos, I came across the photo below, taken by Yours Truly in the kitchen of the first house that Karen and I had when we were starting our family. There is John, in late 1981 or early 1982, seated in his high-chair finishing up his breakfast that seems to have included bacon and sausages.

John Hadden, the south-paw

Looking at the photo which I had not seen in many years, it hit me. John is using his left hand! I guess the signs were there.

At least he survived his rearing with the unique talent as a ‘leftie’ of being able to do most things right-handed!