Terry, Pitcher, Brooklyn, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887 - 1890

Curator: This small photographic print, created sometime between 1887 and 1890, comes from a series called "Old Judge Cigarettes," published by Goodwin & Company of New York. It's a portrait of a baseball player named Terry, a pitcher for the Brooklyn team. Editor: It’s striking, isn’t it? Even without color, there’s an incredible stillness, almost melancholic, about the image. The subject seems caught in a moment of quiet contemplation rather than the high-energy action we associate with baseball. Curator: It’s a fascinating example of how commercial photography intersected with popular culture at the time. These cards were included in cigarette packs, serving as both a promotional tool and collectible item, subtly shaping perceptions of masculinity and leisure. The branding of "Old Judge" itself evokes a certain respectability and authority. Editor: Absolutely. And if we consider the gendered aspect further, we see these cards performing a specific function—encouraging men to buy cigarettes by associating them with the athletic prowess of baseball players. How does the portrayal of Terry, a white man, contribute to constructing notions of ideal American manhood during that era? What bodies and performances are being deliberately excluded from this narrative of athletic heroism? Curator: The pose, his gaze... he’s presented as an archetype, really. It’s a very formal presentation given that the print appeared inside of a cigarette package. Also consider the distribution of images like this, effectively functioning as an early form of celebrity endorsement. Editor: It feels intensely performative when framed within its history of production and consumption. This little picture also acts as a tangible marker of consumer culture—a seemingly innocuous object infused with power. Curator: Exactly, and understanding this historical context challenges the apparent simplicity of the image. It becomes a window into a specific moment in American history, highlighting the intertwined nature of sports, advertising, and the construction of social identities. Editor: Seeing this, I am reminded again of how the simplest images can hold surprisingly complicated narratives, inviting ongoing scrutiny and conversation about whose stories get told, and why.