McCarthy, Left Field, Boston, from Mayo's Cut Plug Baseball series (N300) 1895

This baseball card of McCarthy, Left Field, Boston, was made by P.H. Mayo & Brother of Richmond, Virginia as part of their Mayo's Cut Plug Baseball series. These small cards speak volumes about American culture at the turn of the 20th century. Tobacco companies, like Mayo, used these cards as promotional items. Advertising, baseball, and the burgeoning cult of celebrity came together in these objects. It's important to remember that baseball itself was still taking shape as a professional sport in this era. The image and text present McCarthy as a commodity, both as a player and as an endorser of the Mayo brand. To understand these cards fully, we need to consult business histories, sports archives, and advertising ephemera. These reveal the complex interplay of commerce, leisure, and identity in the making of American popular culture. Art history helps us to understand the ways in which images reflect this ever-changing society.