Herr, Shortstop, St. Louis Whites, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

Curator: Ah, this photograph pulls me in, its sepia tones whispering of forgotten days. Editor: Yes, there's a poignant stillness about it, like capturing a fleeting moment destined to fade. We’re looking at “Herr, Shortstop, St. Louis Whites” a baseball card from the Old Judge series dating back to 1888. These were originally included in Old Judge Cigarettes packages. Curator: A symbol of idealized Americana, the earnest, stoic ballplayer. There's something of the classical athlete here. That batting stance—does it echo poses from ancient Greek sculpture, a figure frozen in anticipation? Editor: It's about how we create heroes. It strikes me how such images work on multiple levels: Commerce met public spectacle, as a sport became myth. It reveals that these images circulated widely. Note also how the player has been artfully placed outdoors as opposed to a studio, giving us an "authentic" image of nature which in turn provides us a supposed vision of authenticity for the ball player himself. Curator: Myth indeed! It’s more like wish fulfillment… cigarette cards, a vehicle to become immersed in a shared fantasy of athleticism and renown. It begs a question: what’s *our* “Old Judge Cigarettes”? What consumer product acts as a portal into the collective psyche? Editor: A fine point, to note these early intersections of product placement and sporting idols. Look, how about the fact that smoking can hinder athletic performance while athletic role models have smoking ads? This baseball player represents, literally, a whole constellation of contradictory desires. I wonder if the consumers recognized this conflict at the time or even now... Curator: A gorgeous insight – yes, a beautiful paradox frozen in time, our shortstop at the ready! It reveals how powerfully, visually, dreams can be sold to us through consumer culture. And it persists, even now, only with different trappings. Editor: That is the most unsettling magic trick! I will never look at my packs of cards in the same way again!