James J. Mutrie, Manager, New York, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This is "James J. Mutrie, Manager, New York," a baseball card from the Old Judge series, created by Goodwin & Company in the late 19th century. These cards were originally included in packs of Old Judge Cigarettes, a marketing tactic that intertwined leisure, celebrity, and consumption. Here we see Mutrie, a prominent manager, posed formally in a suit and hat. It’s easy to read this image through the lens of masculinity and class, as it speaks to the construction of an idealized image of success. The baseball card situates Mutrie in the burgeoning culture of professional sports, while also placing him within the emerging advertising industry. The fact that his image was used to sell cigarettes tells us a lot about the relationship between sports figures and endorsements, even back then. Consider how such images helped to shape not only individual identities, but also cultural values around leisure, success, and the consumption of commodities. It really prompts us to question who benefits from these representations and what stories remain untold.