Elmer Ellsworth Foster, Center Field, New York, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This is a trade card of Elmer Ellsworth Foster, Center Field for New York, from the Old Judge series for Old Judge Cigarettes, produced by Goodwin & Company in 1888. These cards emerged during a time of growing commercialism and were a way to promote products while also reflecting societal values. This card captures a moment in baseball history, a sport rapidly gaining popularity and becoming intertwined with American identity and ideals of masculinity. Foster, as the subject, is an icon. The card not only provided a form of entertainment and collectibility but also served as a cultural artifact, reflecting the evolving relationship between sports, commerce, and the construction of fame in the late 19th century. The commercial nature of the card reminds us of the complex intersections of sports, capitalism, and the commodification of athletes. Baseball was becoming a business, and the players, like Foster, were part of the transaction.