Thomas H. "Pat" Deasley, Catcher, New York, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This baseball card featuring Thomas H. "Pat" Deasley was produced by Goodwin & Company in New York, around 1887, as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. It's a small, albumen print – a photographic process popular in the 19th century where the image is printed on paper coated with egg white. The sepia tones give the image a warmth, but also speak to its age and the era's photographic conventions. What's interesting here is the convergence of sport, celebrity, and consumer culture. These cards were essentially promotional items, mass-produced to be included in cigarette packs. They represent an early form of advertising, using the popularity of baseball to market a completely unrelated product. The printing process itself, involving photography and mass production, highlights the growing industrialization and commercialization of leisure in the late 19th century. It prompts us to consider the relationship between labor, consumption, and the construction of fame during this period.