Pinkney, 3rd Base, Brooklyn, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887 - 1890

Editor: This is “Pinkney, 3rd Base, Brooklyn,” a print made sometime between 1887 and 1890 by Goodwin & Company as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. It feels like a very early example of sports photography and advertising combined, capturing a posed action shot. What stands out to you in this image? Curator: What immediately strikes me is the image's context as a collectible card inserted in cigarette packs. This was a deliberate attempt to market cigarettes through popular culture. Sport, and baseball in particular, had become increasingly important in the social fabric of the late 19th century, particularly amongst working-class men. Editor: So, the card becomes a kind of social mirror, reflecting and shaping popular values? Curator: Precisely. The inclusion of Pinkney, posed and almost heroic, links him and by extension baseball, with the aspirational values projected by the advertisement. Notice, however, the implicit promotion of tobacco, subtly embedding this consumption habit into everyday leisure. In doing so, baseball, and other similar trends were heavily influenced by commercial agendas and became symbols tied to wider societal power dynamics. Editor: It’s strange to think about how such everyday objects were actively participating in constructing this narrative. Curator: Exactly! They helped establish cultural values and promote particular behaviors under the guise of casual admiration for sports and its icons. Editor: I had never thought about advertisement as such a forceful medium. Thanks for explaining. Curator: My pleasure! Thinking about the social forces at play always opens new layers in our understanding of art.