Chase, New York, American League, from the White Border series (T206) for the American Tobacco Company 1909 - 1911

This small chromolithograph is part of the White Border series of baseball cards made for the American Tobacco Company. These cards, printed in the early 20th century, were distributed with cigarette packs. The image features Hal Chase of the New York American League team. Chase, nicknamed “Prince Hal,” stands in his baseball gear, ready to pitch. These cards emerged during a period of growing industrialization, urbanization, and immigration, which fueled the rise of baseball as a national pastime. But it was also a time of segregation. Despite his talent, players like Chase would never have shared the field with Black athletes due to the color line drawn by race. These cards also functioned as a subtle form of advertising, linking the enjoyment of baseball with the consumption of tobacco. They speak volumes about how leisure, labor, and identity were being shaped and commodified in the rapidly changing American landscape.