Baldwin, Pitcher, Chicago, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This photographic print of Baldwin, a pitcher for Chicago, was made by Goodwin & Company of New York in 1887. It belongs to a series of baseball player portraits distributed as promotional items in packages of Old Judge Cigarettes. At the time, baseball was rapidly gaining popularity, mirroring the industrial growth and urbanization of America. This card, like others in the Old Judge series, served as a marketing tool, linking the all-American sport with a particular brand of tobacco. Note how Baldwin is formally posed, his image carefully constructed to convey respectability and athletic prowess. The backdrop, suggesting an urban environment, connects the player to the growing cities where baseball thrived. Understanding this image requires an awareness of advertising history, the cultural significance of baseball in late 19th-century America, and the marketing strategies of tobacco companies. By exploring these contexts, we can better understand the social forces that shaped both the production and reception of this seemingly simple baseball card.