Dan Casey, Pitcher, Philadelphia, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This is a baseball card of Dan Casey, a pitcher for Philadelphia, made around 1887 by Goodwin & Company, using a photographic process. These cards were printed on paper and included in packs of Old Judge Cigarettes. What might seem like ephemera was actually a crucial part of the late 19th-century tobacco industry. The sepia tone you see comes from the chemical development of the photograph. Think about the labor involved: from the photographer capturing Casey's image, to the printing processes, and finally, the factory workers who packaged these cards with the cigarettes. The mass production of these cards reflects a growing consumer culture, where even leisure activities like baseball became intertwined with commerce. This card isn't just about baseball; it's a small window into the industrial processes and marketing strategies that shaped American life at the time. So, next time you see a baseball card, remember it’s more than just a collectible, it’s a document of labor, consumption, and the changing landscape of American society.