William "Buck" Ewing, Captain and Catcher, New York, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This is a portrait of William "Buck" Ewing, a famous baseball player, created by Goodwin & Company for the Old Judge series of cigarette cards. The image is a black and white photograph, with the subject positioned in a dynamic pose, holding a baseball bat and wearing his New York team uniform. The card was created in 1887, and the print is small in size, suggesting its original purpose as a collectible for tobacco buyers. The "Old Judge" series was a popular collectible in the late 19th century, making this image an important piece of both sports and advertising history.