Sommers, Catcher, Chicago, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

This is a baseball card from the "Old Judge" series of trading cards, produced by Goodwin & Company in 1889. The card depicts pitcher S.P. Sommers of the Chicago White Stockings baseball team, who would later be known as the Chicago Cubs. The card is a black and white photograph printed on a small card. Sommers is posed in a throwing motion with the baseball in his hand, a common pose used in baseball card photography of the time. "Old Judge" cards were given away with packs of Old Judge cigarettes. The card is a collectible item for baseball and card collectors and is a primary source for understanding the early history of baseball.