Quinn, 2nd Base, Boston, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887 - 1890

This small photograph of Quinn, a second baseman for Boston, was produced by Goodwin & Company as a promotional item for Old Judge Cigarettes in the late 19th century. These cards were inserted into cigarette packs, capitalizing on the growing popularity of baseball. The image depicts Quinn in his uniform, against a painted backdrop mimicking a natural setting. The combination of commerce and leisure reflects the changing social landscape of America at the time, where professional sports were becoming a form of mass entertainment, heavily linked to commercial enterprise. Cigarette companies like Goodwin utilized baseball's popularity to boost sales, creating a collectible craze that intertwined sport, consumerism, and visual culture. To truly understand these images, we need to look into the history of baseball, advertising, and the rise of mass media in America. These photographs offer a lens into the social and economic forces that shaped leisure and consumer culture.