Kilroy, Pitcher, Boston, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This small, sepia-toned card featuring a portrait of Kilroy, a pitcher for the Boston baseball team, was produced around 1888 by Goodwin & Company as part of a series of baseball cards included in Old Judge Cigarettes. During this period, baseball was rapidly gaining popularity, yet the players and the industry were still defining their identities. These cards were a form of early marketing, associating the rugged masculinity of baseball with the act of smoking. Think about that conjunction for a moment. The images, often staged, tell us much about the construction of celebrity and the commercialization of sports. Moreover, baseball's racial segregation at the time, which would continue for many years, casts a shadow over these early representations. The idealized image of Kilroy stands in stark contrast to the realities faced by black athletes, who were excluded from mainstream leagues. These cards are a window into a complex time, revealing aspirations and cultural biases, shaping how we remember the sport's early heroes.