George Benjamin "Ben" Stephens, Pitcher, Milwaukee, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

Editor: This is a baseball card, titled "George Benjamin 'Ben' Stephens, Pitcher, Milwaukee," from the Old Judge series, dating back to 1888. It’s a print, and it has such a sepia tone that lends a feeling of antiquity and formality. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a complex layering of socio-historical context. It’s ostensibly a baseball card, part of a larger series, but we have to acknowledge the commodification of athletes and the rise of mass media during this era. This image, reproduced en masse to sell cigarettes, reduces Stephens to a brand, reinforcing the intersection of sport, commerce, and cultural identity. Editor: I didn’t think of it that way. The branding seems pretty standard. Curator: Think about the “Old Judge” cigarette brand itself. Who were the judges? Who was being judged? These questions open up a dialogue about power dynamics, particularly regarding gender and class structures during the late 19th century. These cards were predominantly marketed to men. Editor: So you are suggesting that we also consider that advertising in 1888 was a subtle reinforcement of power structures? Curator: Precisely! And consider how the visual language of the card—the portrait style, the sepia tones emulating older, more "respectable" forms of representation – contributes to a construction of masculine authority and nostalgia, masking the realities of labor and commercial exploitation inherent in the tobacco industry and early baseball. Editor: I hadn’t really considered how the format itself could be such a potent form of rhetoric. It makes me think about the construction of fame too. Curator: Absolutely! It is so much more than just a baseball card; it's a snapshot of a culture grappling with its own rapidly changing values. And how race is affected… that’s another important story that this baseball card alludes to. Editor: Thanks, I am definitely seeing a lot more depth now than I did at first glance!