Catcher, from the Girl Baseball Players series (N48, Type 2) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1886 - 1888

This small baseball card from the late 1880s was created by Allen and Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. The image depicts a woman in a catcher's stance, part of a series featuring women playing baseball. These cards were a marketing strategy, tapping into the growing popularity of baseball and the emerging "new woman," who was becoming more visible in public life. Consider how the image creates meaning: the woman's determined gaze, athletic pose, and baseball uniform all suggest an active and independent spirit. This was a period of rapid social change in America, and the image, though promotional, reflects a shifting cultural landscape. Understanding the context in which these images were made requires research into the history of advertising, baseball, and women's roles in late 19th-century America. By exploring these social and institutional histories, we can better understand the complex ways in which art both reflects and shapes society.