James J. "Jumbo" Davis, 3rd Base, Kansas City Cowboys, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

Goodwin & Company produced this photographic print of James J. "Jumbo" Davis around 1888 as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. The sepia tones lend the image a nostalgic air, while the composition focuses sharply on Davis, positioning him in a classic pose, ready to catch a ball. The vertical format and tight cropping emphasize the player’s form. This construction not only highlights Davis as an individual athlete, but also reduces him to a signifier of early baseball, packaged and sold with cigarettes. The image functions as a cultural artifact, illustrating the commodification of sports figures during this period. Consider how the use of photography flattens the three-dimensional space into a two-dimensional plane, transforming a dynamic athletic activity into a static, collectible image. The formal qualities of the print—its tones, composition, and scale—serve to both celebrate and package Davis as a brand. As such, the image remains a site of ongoing interpretation, reflecting shifting attitudes towards sports, advertising, and representation.