Conway, Pitcher, Boston, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This late 19th-century card, produced by Goodwin & Company in New York, features a photograph of Conway, a pitcher for the Boston baseball team. Printed on paper, a common and inexpensive material, these cards were included in packages of Old Judge Cigarettes. Consider how this mass-produced image reflects the rise of both consumer culture and professional sports. The photographic process, while innovative, was also becoming increasingly industrialized, allowing for the creation of multiples like these. The card served as both advertisement and collectible, a canny marketing strategy that linked leisure activities, like baseball, with the consumption of tobacco. The wear and tear on this particular card also speaks to its history of circulation, of being handled, traded, and collected. It is a reminder that even the most seemingly ephemeral objects can offer insights into the social and economic forces that shaped their creation and use. It blurs the lines between art, ephemera, and artifact.