James Thomas "Deacon" McGuire, Catcher, Toronto Canucks, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This late 19th-century baseball card, featuring James Thomas "Deacon" McGuire, was made by Goodwin & Company as a promotional item for Old Judge Cigarettes. It’s printed on thin paper stock, likely using a photomechanical process allowing for mass production. The sepia-toned image shows McGuire in action, a candid shot of him in his catcher's gear. The material quality of the card is humble, reflecting its origin as a disposable piece of advertising. The texture is smooth, the paper weight insubstantial, designed for mass consumption rather than preservation. The image is a testament to the industrialization of both sports and advertising, with baseball heroes turned into commodities. Consider the labor involved: from the tobacco fields to the factory floors, and the photographic studios where players posed. These cards connect the burgeoning world of professional sports with the wider economic landscape, reminding us that even leisure is deeply embedded in systems of production and consumption.