Van Haltren, Pitcher, Chicago, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

Editor: Here we have a baseball card featuring Van Haltren, a pitcher for Chicago, dating back to 1888. It’s part of the "Old Judge" series by Goodwin & Company, made for Old Judge Cigarettes. It appears to be an albumen print, almost sepia-toned. It strikes me as incredibly formal, almost like a presidential portrait but with a baseball bat. What is your take on this interesting crossover, Professor? Curator: What strikes me most, beyond the obvious blending of celebrity and commerce, is how this little card encapsulates a cultural shift. It's fascinating, isn’t it? We’re witnessing the birth of the baseball hero, immortalized not in bronze, but on a flimsy piece of cardstock meant to be discarded with your cigarette packaging. Can you imagine that now? Editor: Absolutely not! Sports cards are worth fortunes these days! So, beyond its value as memorabilia, how do you interpret the portrait itself? It's such a contrast to how athletes are presented now. Curator: It’s all so dignified, isn’t it? The man's posture, the almost Victorian mustache. He’s an athlete, but he’s also a gentleman, carefully posed with his bat. The muted tones add to that sense of bygone formality. It makes you wonder, doesn’t it, about the changing ideals of masculinity? It almost feels…poetic. Do you find any modern resonance here? Editor: That's an interesting way to frame it. Perhaps in how modern athletes try to craft their brand? Only today it's social media instead of cigarette cards. Curator: Precisely! Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. I find that strangely comforting, don't you? Editor: It certainly is, thank you for highlighting that, I didn't really appreciate the wider context! Curator: My pleasure, anytime!