C. Frank Genins, Center Field, Sioux City Corn Huskers, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

This late nineteenth-century baseball card, produced by Goodwin & Company for Old Judge Cigarettes, captures C. Frank Genins of the Sioux City Corn Huskers. These cards, like this one made in New York, were originally packaging inserts, a marketing strategy reflecting the growing commercialization of both baseball and tobacco. The sepia-toned photograph connects to the culture of early baseball, evoking the era's aesthetics and values. Its mass production also illustrates a shift in how athletes were perceived, moving from local figures to nationally recognized celebrities, aided by the rise of mass media. Examining such cards through social history reveals much about the interplay of sport, business, and popular culture. Archival research into baseball's early years, advertising history, and the tobacco industry helps to fully understand its place within the social and economic fabric of its time.