McClellan, 2nd Base, Brooklyn, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887 - 1890

This is a baseball card from the "Old Judge" series, printed by Goodwin & Company, around the late 19th century, it features McClellan, a second baseman for Brooklyn. These cards were originally included in packages of Old Judge Cigarettes, as a marketing tactic. Reflecting the historical context, the card embodies the rise of baseball as a national pastime, and also the pervasive advertising strategies of the tobacco industry. The image of McClellan is striking, but also reveals the limited representation of athletes. These cards contributed to the construction of celebrity around athletes, but also raise questions about the commercial exploitation of individuals. The ephemeral nature of a card given away with cigarettes speaks to a tension between visibility and disposability, hinting at larger societal structures around class and labor.