Leon A. "Lee" Viau, Pitcher, Cincinnati, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

Editor: This is "Leon A. 'Lee' Viau, Pitcher, Cincinnati," a baseball card from 1889, part of the Old Judge series by Goodwin & Company. It has a slightly melancholic, sepia-toned feel, almost like a faded memory. What stories do you think this image tells about its time? Curator: It tells us many stories. Let’s think about the socio-political context: It's the late 19th century, post-Reconstruction America, grappling with industrialization and urbanization. These cards weren't just innocent collectibles, they were tools of marketing aimed at a very specific demographic: white, working-class men, reflecting and reinforcing the gender and racial hierarchies of the time. The image of a baseball player, a figure of burgeoning national pride, served to solidify these values, while obscuring others. Editor: So, even something that seems like innocent advertising can perpetuate certain values and exclude others? Curator: Precisely. Consider the blatant association of athleticism with cigarette consumption; these cards encouraged the intertwining of “masculine” ideals, consumerism and the subtle promotion of nicotine addiction. We must unpack how it all fits into larger power structures of gender, class, and even public health debates. Who benefits, and who is left out of this seemingly harmless picture? Editor: It’s fascinating how much is embedded in this small card. I hadn’t thought about it beyond just a baseball image. Curator: And the normalization of tobacco use. What about the visual rhetoric itself? Note Viau’s carefully cultivated image. Consider how those choices communicate and normalize ideas of masculinity at the time. Editor: It definitely gives a lot to consider how such images play a role in wider issues around labor, capitalism, and identity. I'll definitely view images like these differently from now on. Curator: Hopefully more attuned to the power they wielded.