Edward M. Daily, Pitcher, Philadelphia, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

Curator: This is a fascinating piece from 1887, "Edward M. Daily, Pitcher, Philadelphia," part of the Old Judge series by Goodwin & Company. It's a collotype print, originally intended as a baseball card to be included in cigarette packs. Editor: My first impression is of how posed and stiff it feels, despite presumably capturing an athlete. There's a formality that contrasts sharply with today's sports photography. Curator: That stiffness speaks to the conventions of the time. Early photography demanded long exposures, impacting portraiture across the board, even in commercial contexts like this. Also, remember that baseball was still formalizing its identity as the national pastime; presentation mattered. These cards played a significant role in shaping the public image of the sport and its players. Editor: The image also serves as an early archetype of the athletic hero. The name “Old Judge Cigarettes” suggests trustworthiness. Does Daly, as a young, idealized ballplayer, symbolize purity associated with athleticism? Curator: Perhaps. Cigarette companies absolutely aimed to associate their brands with positive cultural values. But I would also note that such advertising constructs an artificial social landscape, a narrative of health and leisure that obscured realities for laborers and consumers. Images such as this also played an interesting role in cultural distribution of such idealized notions and created national appeal across classes. Editor: It's intriguing how intertwined these commercial images are with broader cultural narratives. The baseball itself almost has a symbolic significance - hope, dreams, American values...even with a company advertising tobacco. Curator: Exactly! This card exemplifies how corporate entities tapped into powerful American mythologies through images, contributing to baseball's rise while promoting their own products. Editor: It makes you wonder what images from our era are actually little billboards contributing to a narrative we're blind to. It feels that simple commercial pictures of baseball players have a deeper meaning if you view them within the timeline of culture. Curator: Indeed. Images like these help us trace the evolving relationship between commerce, sport, and the construction of national identity.