Charles J. "Charlie" Ferguson, Pitcher, Philadelphia, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This photographic card of Charles J. "Charlie" Ferguson, a pitcher for Philadelphia, comes from Goodwin & Company’s "Old Judge" series, part of a marketing campaign for cigarettes. These cards, popular in the late 19th century, reveal much about the cultural values and aspirations of the time. Ferguson, standing in his baseball uniform, embodies the era's ideals of athleticism and masculinity. Note the commercial aspect; his image isn’t just about sport, it's intertwined with the promotion of tobacco, a product with its own complex history of labor and consumption. Such cards also reflect a broader cultural narrative in which identities were being shaped and commodified through advertising. While celebrating individual achievements, they also participated in constructing a national identity centered on sports, leisure, and consumerism. These are the stories we tell ourselves, and that, in the end, is really what's at stake.