John Stewart "Pop" Corkhill, Center Field, Cincinnati, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This is a baseball card from the Old Judge series, made in the late 19th century by Goodwin & Company. The sepia tones and compact size give the piece a nostalgic, intimate feel, as if holding a fragment of history in your hand. The composition is simple yet effective. A baseball player is captured mid-swing, positioned against a blurred background. The limited tonal range focuses our attention on the subject's form and action. The muted palette and soft focus lend the scene a dreamlike quality, elevating the ordinary to a level of timeless significance. Consider how the card's materiality—thin paper stock and mass-produced aesthetic—speak to the burgeoning consumer culture of the time. The baseball card functions as both a commercial product and a cultural artifact. It captures a moment in the sport, a fragment of time made available for circulation and exchange.