Griffin, Center Field, Baltimore Orioles, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This baseball card, from the Old Judge series by Goodwin & Company, presents "Griffin, Center Field, Baltimore Orioles" in sepia tones. The composition balances the player’s figure with the advertising text, creating a formal tension between image and commerce. Note how the photograph is not merely representational; its sepia tone evokes a nostalgic longing, an engagement with time and memory. The subject is framed as a cultural artifact, embedding him in a network of meanings beyond his athletic role. Semiotically, the baseball bat becomes a signifier, representing both the sport and the culture surrounding it. The card’s design challenges fixed meanings, using Griffin’s image to sell cigarettes, thereby questioning the boundaries between sport, celebrity, and consumerism. It prompts us to consider how images function within a broader cultural context.