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

"Catcher," from the *Girl Baseball Players* series (N48, Type 2) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes, is a black and white photograph from 1886-1888, produced by Allen & Ginter. This photograph, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, depicts a woman in a baseball uniform in a catcher's stance, with her hands on her knees, with the backdrop of a baseball field. This photograph is part of a series of collectible trading cards that were distributed with packs of Virginia Brights cigarettes, a popular brand in the late 19th century. This card, typical of the time, would have been given out as part of a larger advertising campaign for the cigarettes. The image itself is a snapshot of a time when women were beginning to play baseball and participate in sports, a progressive activity at the time.