Corcoran, Pitcher, Indianapolis, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

Curator: Here we have "Corcoran, Pitcher, Indianapolis" from the Old Judge series, produced around 1887 by Goodwin & Company. It's an albumen print, originally part of a larger baseball card set. Editor: The sepia tone gives it an aged, almost mythical quality. He looks like a young hero from another era, confident, if a bit solemn. Curator: That sepia is inherent to the albumen process, quite common for photography in that period. And, in its original context, distributed as a small promotional item with Old Judge Cigarettes. Editor: Baseball, like tobacco, was finding its footing, cultivating a dedicated following. What about the choice of this 'Corcoran' as subject? Curator: Well, the series highlighted various baseball players; this card was for marketing tobacco, not primarily celebrating athletic prowess. These cards boosted visibility for both product and player in the rapidly evolving sports industry. They gave the public faces to emerging celebrities, aiding their ascent. Editor: It seems this Corcoran has chosen not to show us a smile. Could this be more than just a picture on a card, but a deliberate construction of the 'ideal' athlete archetype, sober, dependable? Curator: Goodwin was likely just capitalizing on Corcoran's fame at the time and the general public interest in Baseball stars to help their cigarette sales, which might indicate a more surface-level connection between imagery and consumption. Editor: That's what's captivating! What feels initially like a simple promotion also offers us a window into the past - values, desires and methods of manipulation are caught here like insects in amber. A simple Baseball player becomes an American symbol in the making. Curator: Indeed! This simple card allows us to study the evolving visual culture, exploring the historical entanglement of entertainment, commercialism, and our enduring obsession with the heroic. Editor: I find that so evocative; I now look at it with much more insight than I started. Curator: Absolutely. It all provides important keys into our deeper understanding.