John Thomas "Tug" Arundel, Catcher, Indianapolis, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

Curator: At the Metropolitan Museum, we have "John Thomas 'Tug' Arundel, Catcher, Indianapolis," from the Old Judge series, a gelatin-silver print from 1887 published by Goodwin & Company. It was part of a series included with Old Judge Cigarettes. Editor: Well, if that isn’t the most sepia-toned stare-down I’ve encountered today. The way he's posing, one hand on his hip, the other grasping his bat like it might bolt... it's assertive, almost challenging. Is he about to step up to bat, or declare war? Curator: The "Old Judge" series is fascinating because it shows us how celebrity and advertising intertwined even in the late 19th century. Baseball players were becoming cultural figures, and tobacco companies capitalized on that. He is staged so confidently; this wasn’t casual, but clearly thought through to project strength and American resolve. Editor: Totally! It's more than just a photo, isn't it? This stance, his confident expression - it feels almost symbolic, tapping into the era's ideals of masculinity and athleticism. And placing it in the cigarette packs – instant association with virility, right? Curator: Precisely. And note the Indianapolis jersey, front and center; in this print, we are not just seeing a nameless athlete but an embodiment of place, connecting local identity with a broader national pastime. And those uniforms were pretty cumbersome compared to today! Editor: Ha! Definitely less Lycra. But this almost painterly style with the photography—it makes one consider the role of visual merchandising on culture. To think someone saw him as they opened their smoke, inspiring them perhaps in some subliminal way. Curator: The portrait style really elevates the players to celebrity status, something quite new then. Goodwin & Company, smartly linking tobacco and these sporting heroes, captured a cultural shift. Editor: Looking at him now, holding that bat—it makes one think. Who were the everyday people that revered players like Tug Arundel? What impact did his image have outside of being a photograph, to his followers and family? Curator: Indeed; a single image encapsulates the growth of baseball as spectacle and as big business, intertwined. It captures not just Tug Arundel, but also a moment when cultural values and popular imagery changed permanently. Editor: So next time I open a pack of baseball cards – err, a pack of… gum! I'll consider that hidden context. You have shifted how I think about celebrity!