Alexander "Colonel" Ferson, Pitcher, Washington Nationals, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

This late 19th-century card, produced by Goodwin & Company, features Alexander "Colonel" Ferson, a pitcher for the Washington Nationals. It’s made of paper, likely mass-produced using industrial printing techniques. These cards were originally inserted into Old Judge Cigarettes packs. The sepia-toned photograph is mounted on a card that would have been printed with the player's name, team, and the cigarette brand. Consider the context: a tobacco company using images of athletes to sell their product. This speaks volumes about the intertwining of advertising, consumer culture, and the burgeoning popularity of professional sports at the time. The card embodies this relationship directly. The mass production of such cards reflects the rise of industrial capitalism. These cards were designed for widespread consumption, turning baseball players into commodities, which links the world of sports with industry and labor. By looking closely at the object and its making, we can move beyond the image itself and consider its place within broader economic and social structures.