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

This baseball card featuring Terry, a pitcher for Brooklyn, was produced around 1887 by Goodwin & Company as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. As baseball surged in popularity during the late 19th century, tobacco companies capitalized on the sport's appeal by including collectible cards in their cigarette packs. These cards offer a fascinating glimpse into the construction of celebrity and the commercialization of leisure in a rapidly industrializing America. But we should also consider the relationship between baseball, tobacco, and the construction of masculinity at the time. This card presents Terry as a strong, capable athlete. It's a carefully crafted image designed to appeal to consumers, suggesting that smoking Old Judge Cigarettes is a path to embodying the same virile image. The figure’s almost performative stance, framed within a carefully staged composition, speaks volumes about the era’s evolving ideals of athleticism and manhood.