Alcott, 3rd Base, St. Louis Whites, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

Curator: Here we have a baseball card from 1888, featuring C. Alcott, a third baseman for the St. Louis Whites. It’s part of the “Old Judge” series (N172) produced by Goodwin & Company to advertise their Old Judge Cigarettes. Editor: It's aged remarkably well. My initial reaction is surprise at how posed and almost formal it feels, especially given its function as advertising. Curator: Indeed. It speaks to the social function of portraiture at the time, even within commercial contexts. This card would have circulated widely, offering not only an image of Alcott, but also associating him – and by extension, baseball – with notions of masculinity and athleticism crucial for selling cigarettes to a largely male demographic. Editor: It’s interesting to consider the layers of labor involved. There’s the physical labor of baseball itself, of course, but then the manufacturing process behind both the cigarettes and the cards. I’m curious about the types of materials used to make this print. We have the labor of those factory workers to consider as well as the farmers involved with producing tobacco. Curator: Precisely, this visual culture surrounding baseball provides a lens into late 19th-century society. The card reflects emerging ideas about the professionalization of sport, and Alcott himself, in this carefully staged photograph, embodies an early version of the athletic ideal. Think about how this image shapes narratives around celebrity and aspiration, which still influence the contemporary image culture we're navigating now. Editor: Absolutely, and this image would have been consumed along with cigarettes – mass produced goods marketed using newly efficient processes. What type of camera captured Alcott? How were multiples produced for distribution in cigarette packages? How did the association of this athlete and other celebrities impact Old Judge Cigarette’s brand? It raises so many questions regarding materiality. Curator: It's a potent intersection of commerce, sport, and early celebrity culture. These baseball cards helped to establish norms around advertising, shaping what products are advertised, to whom, and by whom – which is directly connected to discussions of gender, class and even ideas about race today. Editor: Yes, considering the full materiality helps us better grasp the broader social impact of the image. I am so appreciative of the opportunity to focus on production and use. Curator: Indeed, it demonstrates that a simple baseball card offers profound insights when we analyze the society, the sport and individuals connected by the material.