Elmer Ellsworth "Sy" Sutcliffe, Catcher, Cleveland, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

Editor: Here we have an albumen print from 1889 titled "Elmer Ellsworth 'Sy' Sutcliffe, Catcher, Cleveland," part of the Old Judge series. The sepia tones give it such a vintage feel. What do you make of the piece? Curator: This piece really highlights the intersection of sports, capitalism, and identity at the turn of the century. How does it strike you that this image was circulated as a baseball card for cigarette advertisement? Editor: I guess I hadn’t considered that it's essentially marketing. Curator: Exactly! We can see how the burgeoning popularity of baseball was being directly used to promote harmful products. The figure of Sutcliffe embodies a specific ideal of masculinity, strength, and athleticism marketed alongside cigarettes. Do you notice anything about his pose or expression? Editor: He looks pretty serious, like he's embodying determination, and he's very neatly presented. How complicit do you think athletes like him were at the time, if at all? Curator: That’s a complex question. Were these athletes given any say? Consider too, how these images contributed to shaping a dominant narrative of white, male heroism in sports, often overshadowing the contributions and experiences of women and people of color. Where are the other narratives? Where is their representation? Editor: That makes me think about how media today still perpetuates some of these patterns, reinforcing certain images of who gets celebrated. I never thought about cigarette cards as so politically loaded. Thanks, that really makes you look at things differently. Curator: Absolutely! And remembering this also highlights the need to critically examine the power structures embedded within seemingly innocuous objects and images.