John Francis Coleman, Right Field, Pittsburgh, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

Curator: At first glance, this photograph seems rather unassuming. What's your impression? Editor: Well, the sepia tones and slight wear and tear whisper of another era. He looks self-assured, though, relaxed in his pose. Is that really a baseball bat he’s holding? Curator: Indeed it is. We're looking at "John Francis Coleman, Right Field, Pittsburgh," part of the "Old Judge" series by Goodwin & Company from 1887. These were, in fact, trading cards included with Old Judge Cigarettes. Editor: Cigarette cards! A piece of baseball history and advertising ingenuity rolled into one…quite literally. He's like a baseball oracle! What exactly was their function in society and the business strategies of the time? Curator: Their function was multifaceted: Primarily, it boosted sales of Old Judge Cigarettes, offering customers something extra. They were also collected and traded. Editor: They made fans. The player portraits humanized athletes in a time before mass media, right? A simple card made him immortal—and of course sold tobacco products. How fascinating and ethically ambiguous. Curator: Exactly. It captures a key moment where sport and commerce intertwine in American culture. Editor: I love how this fragile piece of cardboard connects us so viscerally to the beginnings of baseball as big business. Looking closely, the photo itself seems almost impressionistic, the background barely defined. Was this a common stylistic approach at that time? Curator: The soft focus was partly due to the photographic techniques of the time, but also stylistic, emphasizing the figure. Note the subject's gaze, which creates a sense of engagement. Editor: He’s both present and distant, a ghost in the machine of American consumerism. There’s a strange poetry to that. Curator: It’s a snapshot of a very particular historical intersection. Editor: Right, a tiny photograph capturing a much larger story. Thanks for that look!