Hatfield, 3rd Base, New York, from the series Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This photograph of baseball player Hatfield was produced by Goodwin & Company in the late 19th century as part of the "Old Judge Cigarettes" series. This was a simple, but ingenious, fusion of manufacture and leisure. Photographs like this were made by the millions and included in cigarette packs as a promotional item. The image itself, created through photographic processes, is a window into the era's burgeoning celebrity culture and the rise of professional sports, but it also represents a pivotal shift in consumer culture. By including these cards with their products, tobacco companies sought to associate their brands with the excitement and appeal of baseball. The labor involved in producing these photographs on such a massive scale is staggering to consider, and it speaks to the industrialization of leisure and the commodification of culture that took hold during this period. So next time you think about baseball cards, consider the labor and the capitalist engine that helped put them in motion.