James Dickson "Dick" Phelan, 2nd Base, Des Moines Prohibitionists, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

Goodwin & Company created this baseball card, "James Dickson 'Dick' Phelan" around 1889 for Old Judge Cigarettes. Its sepia tone immediately establishes a connection to the late 19th century, evoking a sense of nostalgia. The composition centres on Phelan, rendered with careful attention to his uniform and posture. The artist uses a vertical format, typical of the baseball card series, which emphasizes the full height of the athlete, grounding him as an almost stoic figure against a blurred background. Phelan's figure is structured within a framework that uses the visual elements of light and shadow. The sepia tone flattens the image, reducing depth to emphasize the two-dimensional plane of the card. His dark uniform and belt buckle cut him in two, breaking up the visual field. The card functions as a cultural artifact, revealing the intersection of sports, commerce, and identity in American society. It encapsulates a moment in time, freezing the image of an athlete in a form intended for mass consumption and cultural inscription. In its original context, it serves not merely as a portrait but as a commodity.