James "Jim" M. Banning, Catcher, Washington Nationals, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

This 1889 lithograph by Goodwin & Company is from the "Old Judge" series of baseball cards, produced by the Old Judge Cigarette Factory. It depicts James "Jim" M. Banning, a catcher for the Washington Nationals, in a dynamic pose, ready to catch a ball. The "Old Judge" series was a popular form of advertising for cigarettes, using baseball cards as a collectible incentive for consumers. The artwork is now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection in New York City.