Patrick Lawrence "Larry" Murphy, Center Field, St. Paul Apostles, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This is a baseball card of Patrick Lawrence "Larry" Murphy, Center Field for the St. Paul Apostles, made by Goodwin & Company in the late 19th century as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. These cards emerged during a time when baseball was solidifying its place in American culture. Predominantly working-class men played baseball professionally, but these early sports cards reflect a burgeoning interest across different social strata. Goodwin & Company were masters of integrating commerce with leisure, capitalizing on baseball's popularity to market cigarettes. These cards can teach us much about the narratives being crafted around American identity. Looking closely, we can see the romanticization of the sport and its players and the entwining of consumer culture with leisure, shaping perceptions and desires in the developing modern era. It is interesting to think about these men who are frozen in time playing the sport they love.