William H. "Yank" Robinson, Shortstop, St. Louis Browns, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

Goodwin & Company produced this late nineteenth-century card for Old Judge Cigarettes, featuring William H. "Yank" Robinson of the St. Louis Browns. The card is part of a larger series that captures the emerging celebrity of baseball players, yet its context extends beyond the sport itself. These cards coincided with a period of intense industrialization and urbanization, which saw the rise of mass media and advertising. The images helped to construct and disseminate idealized versions of American masculinity, linking them to notions of athleticism and success. Baseball, at the time, was becoming a national symbol, though this narrative often excluded marginalized groups. The commercial nature of the card also reminds us of how identity is often wrapped up in consumer culture. It encourages us to think about the stories we tell ourselves about who we are, and how those stories are shaped by the world around us. This image is not just about baseball; it's about the values and aspirations of a rapidly changing society.