William B. "Farmer" Weaver, Center Field, Louisville Colonels, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

This small photograph of William B. "Farmer" Weaver, a center fielder for the Louisville Colonels, was printed by Goodwin & Company for Old Judge Cigarettes. Made in 1887, the card is an artifact of the growing commercialization of leisure in the late 19th century United States. The baseball card was a way to promote the consumption of tobacco, turning famous athletes into cultural icons of the marketplace. At this time, baseball itself was solidifying as a professional sport, a development that depended on institutions like the National League, the press, and eventually the Hall of Fame, to codify its rules, celebrate its heroes, and disseminate its imagery to a wide public. The image is carefully posed, its sepia tones granting it the aura of authenticity, yet also manufactured as a commercial product. Understanding this card requires an interdisciplinary approach, using team records, census data, and advertising ephemera to understand its significance. The meaning of art is contingent on its social and institutional context, and our job as historians is to uncover those layers of meaning.