Joseph Abraham "Joe" Werrick, 3rd Base, St. Paul Apostles, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888 - 1889

This is a card from the Old Judge series, printed by Goodwin & Company of New York around 1888, featuring Joe Werrick of the St. Paul Apostles baseball team. The Old Judge series provides an interesting case study in the history of marketing and its connection with a growing interest in sport. These cards were originally included in packages of Old Judge Cigarettes, a common practice at the time for a variety of products. The late 19th century was a period of rapid industrialization and urbanization in the United States and team sports such as baseball were taking off as a form of mass entertainment. Cards like this helped to popularize players and promote the idea of the 'baseball hero'. However, one should consider that the primary purpose was to market cigarettes, a product that we now recognize as harmful. The study of popular ephemera like these baseball cards can teach us a great deal about the social history of the United States in this period. Historical documents, such as newspapers, diaries, and business records, can help shed light on the cultural values and economic forces at play in the late 19th century.