Louis Rogers "Pete" Browning, Center Field, Louisville Colonels, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This albumen silver print depicts Louis Rogers "Pete" Browning, a center fielder for the Louisville Colonels, and was produced as part of the Old Judge series for Old Judge Cigarettes. These cards emerged in an era of burgeoning commercialism and the professionalization of baseball in the late 19th century. Browning, frozen in a posed stance with his bat, represents an idealized version of masculinity marketed alongside tobacco products. Yet, beyond the surface, there is a tension, the rough and tumble world of baseball stands in contrast to the refined image of the cigarette consumer. These cards were a form of early advertising, targeting a predominantly white, male audience. As such, the representation of athletes like Browning reinforces prevailing social hierarchies, even as it elevates them to celebrity status. One wonders, if the cigarette companies had looked beyond their preconceived marketing strategies, how many other athletes would have come to light. The image is a window into a time of great change and great inequities.