Burch, Left Field, St. Louis Whites, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This baseball card of E. Burch, left fielder for the St. Louis Whites, was produced by Goodwin & Company for Old Judge Cigarettes in the late 19th century. These cards emerged during a period of immense growth for both baseball and the tobacco industry. The St. Louis Whites themselves existed in a liminal space between amateurism and professionalism, mirroring the changing social status of baseball. These cards were tools of promotion, but also function as records of a moment when commercialism and sporting culture were becoming increasingly intertwined. Consider the irony of athletes promoting a product known for its detrimental health effects! To truly understand this image, one could research the history of baseball in St. Louis, the business practices of the Goodwin & Company, and the broader cultural context of advertising in the late 19th century. The value of this card isn't just in its depiction of a baseball player, but in what it tells us about the social and economic forces at play during its creation.