John Joseph "Jocko" Fields, Catcher, Pittsburgh, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This 1887 baseball card features John Joseph "Jocko" Fields, a catcher for the Pittsburgh Alleghenys, part of the Old Judge series of trading cards created by Goodwin & Company to advertise Old Judge Cigarettes. The card showcases Fields in a classic baseball pose, catching a fly ball, and provides a glimpse into the popular culture of late 19th-century America. The use of photography in this card, along with the simple design and straightforward image, exemplified the emerging genre of sports card collecting. This card is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY.