Krause, Philadelphia, American League, from the White Border series (T206) for the American Tobacco Company 1909 - 1911

This is a baseball card from the White Border series (T206) for the American Tobacco Company, picturing Krause of the Philadelphia American League. Produced at the start of the 20th century, these cards reflect a society grappling with industrialization, mass consumerism, and shifting ideas about leisure and labor. Baseball, like tobacco, was becoming a national obsession. Krause, caught mid-pitch, becomes an emblem of idealized masculinity and American aspiration. Yet, this image is also a commodity, packaged and sold alongside tobacco, reflecting the entanglement of sport with commercial interests. The card’s small size belies its complex cultural significance: a symbol of identity, a vehicle for commerce, and a reflection of America's evolving pastimes. These cards were overwhelmingly targeted to a white, male demographic. The absence of broader representation underscores the racial and gendered exclusions that marked the era, reminding us of the selective narratives that dominate popular culture.