William "California" Brown, Catcher, New York, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This 1887 "Old Judge" baseball card, part of a series of cards produced by Goodwin & Company to promote Old Judge cigarettes, features William "California" Brown, the catcher for the New York team. The card depicts Brown in full catching gear, including a protective mask and chest protector. The card's simple composition and photographic style are representative of the early days of baseball card collecting. The card is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection in New York City.