Oliver Wendell "Patsy" Tebeau, 3rd Base, Chicago, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887 - 1890

This is Oliver Wendell "Patsy" Tebeau, 3rd Base, Chicago, a baseball card produced by Goodwin & Company around 1888 as part of their "Old Judge Cigarettes" series. These cards weren't conceived as art, but rather as promotional items. They reveal a lot about the cultural landscape of late 19th-century America, a time when baseball was rapidly rising in popularity. The card’s design, with its sepia tone and straightforward presentation, reflects the era's aesthetic preferences and nascent advertising strategies. The presence of tobacco companies in the world of sports imagery also speaks volumes about the intertwined relationship between commerce, leisure, and the construction of celebrity. What was the social impact of baseball cards on the public's perception of athletes? How did these cards contribute to the commercialization of sports? To really understand a piece like this, we can explore archives, delve into advertising history, and consider the cultural context that gave rise to this unassuming yet revealing artifact.