John Alexander "Bid" McPhee, 2nd Base, Cincinnati, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This small card from 1888, produced by Goodwin & Company, features John Alexander “Bid” McPhee, the second baseman for Cincinnati. Produced as part of the "Old Judge" series of baseball cards for Old Judge Cigarettes, it speaks to the late 19th-century rise of both professional baseball and mass advertising. These cards were more than just advertising, they tapped into a burgeoning cult of celebrity and athletic prowess. McPhee, with his stern gaze and poised stance, embodies an era of evolving masculinity. He was known for playing bare-handed, a testament to a tougher, less mediated version of the game. The image also reflects a society grappling with industrialization and urbanization, where baseball offered a romanticized connection to simpler times. While seemingly a straightforward portrait, this card encapsulates complex intersections of commerce, identity, and the popular imagination. It reminds us that even the smallest artifacts can tell big stories about who we are and how we got here.