William Frederick "Pop" Schriver, Catcher, Philadelphia, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This is a small photographic print of William Frederick "Pop" Schriver, a baseball catcher for Philadelphia, made for Old Judge Cigarettes. It dates from the late 1880s, a time when baseball was rapidly professionalizing and finding a mass audience. The Goodwin & Company, the manufacturer of Old Judge Cigarettes, used images of baseball players to promote their product. The Old Judge series is a fascinating intersection of commerce, celebrity, and sport. These cards were essentially advertisements, using popular figures to entice consumers. The staged studio setting and the player's posed stance also tell us a lot about the early marketing of baseball stars. To fully understand this image, we can explore the history of baseball, advertising, and photography in late 19th-century America. By situating this card within its cultural and economic context, we can appreciate its significance beyond just a simple portrait of a baseball player.