David Elwood "Dave" Rowe, Manager, Kansas City Cowboys, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

Goodwin & Company created this baseball card of David Elwood Rowe, manager of the Kansas City Cowboys, around 1888 as part of a promotional series for Old Judge Cigarettes. During this era, baseball cards were largely a vehicle for commercial branding, yet they also served as a window into the cultural values and social dynamics of the late 19th century. Rowe’s confident pose, and the card's distribution primarily to male consumers, speaks volumes about the construction of masculinity and leisure in a rapidly industrializing America. Consider how the commodification of athletes began shaping perceptions of fame and success. While celebrating individual achievement, the card also indirectly reflects the labor and economic systems that were becoming entrenched in professional sports. It invites us to consider the intersections of sport, commerce, and identity in American culture.