Robert James "Bob" Gilks, Pitcher, Cleveland, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

Editor: This is an 1888 gelatin-silver print titled "Robert James 'Bob' Gilks, Pitcher, Cleveland," from the Old Judge series by Goodwin & Company. The monochromatic tones give it a very vintage feel. What symbols do you see in this early image? Curator: I am drawn to the framing of Gilks. Notice the baseball gripped in his hands. Consider what that might mean for viewers in the late 19th century and for us today. Is it a symbol of promise, or is it about being on guard, being ready to perform? Editor: I never thought of it as guarding, only accomplishment! Curator: Look at the image in terms of other cultural memory. This card was produced by a cigarette company. How does this combination of baseball and cigarettes speak to American ideals of health, virility, and perhaps even luck? Editor: The cigarette card adds an interesting layer. I wouldn’t associate baseball with cigarettes, but I see how they both relate to ideas of American identity. Curator: Exactly. The portrait normalizes and elevates Gilks into a kind of everyman hero through circulation. Do you think the Old Judge series achieved its goal, enshrining baseball players within the cultural consciousness of the time? Editor: I would guess that this card certainly played a role. It seems like a clever early marketing tactic that still resonates with us. Curator: And that continued cultural echo tells us about image's power, about what has lasted and why.