James Edwin "Jim" Powell, Manager and 1st Base, Sioux City Corn Huskers, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

This is James Edwin "Jim" Powell, Manager and 1st Base for the Sioux City Corn Huskers. The card is from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes, made by Goodwin & Company in 1889. These baseball cards were originally promotional items. Think about the cultural status of baseball at the time; it was on the rise as a national pastime, closely linked to notions of American identity and masculinity. The mass production of these cards by tobacco companies speaks to the commercialization of sport and its intersection with consumer culture. Powell, like many players of his era, represents a particular kind of working-class hero. How might we view the image of a baseball player differently today, in an era of celebrity athletes and multimillion-dollar contracts? This card offers a glimpse into a moment when sports figures were more closely tied to local communities and perhaps seen as more accessible figures.