John Anthony "Honest John" Boyle, Catcher, St. Louis Browns, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887 - 1890

Here we have a photograph of John Anthony "Honest John" Boyle, catcher for the St. Louis Browns, produced by Goodwin & Company around the late 19th century as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. These cards were a product of their time, reflecting both an emerging culture of celebrity and a burgeoning advertising industry. As baseball rose in popularity, images of its players became valuable commodities, used to promote products like cigarettes. The photograph suggests the construction of an "honest" persona in the burgeoning age of celebrity. It raises questions about the relationship between image and identity, and the ways in which personal character could be manufactured and marketed. At the same time, we might consider how the commodification of these players intersects with issues of labor and class. Boyle, like many athletes then, was a working-class figure whose image was being used to generate profit. In the end, this simple baseball card opens up a broader conversation about celebrity, commerce, and the construction of identity in a rapidly changing society.