Sam Barkley, 2nd Base, Pittsburgh, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes

This is a card from the “Old Judge” series, produced by Goodwin & Company of New York around 1887. These cards were originally inserts in cigarette packs, a novel way to advertise and promote their brand. But what makes this image so interesting is the confluence of commerce, leisure, and the burgeoning cult of celebrity. Here, Sam Barkley, a 2nd baseman for Pittsburgh, is captured in mid-action. But it is not just about the game, it's about crafting an image, a visual brand associating virility with the act of smoking. Photography at this time was still a relatively new medium and its use in advertising was innovative, blurring the lines between sport, commerce, and popular culture. Through resources like period newspapers, advertisements, and business records, we can better understand how commercial imagery like this both reflected and shaped cultural values in the late 19th century. Art history helps us see how these images functioned within the broader visual landscape of their time.