John Thomas Pickett, Shortstop, Kansas City Cowboys, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This small card featuring John Thomas Pickett, shortstop for the Kansas City Cowboys, was made by Goodwin & Company around 1888 as part of a series for Old Judge Cigarettes. Printed on thin paper stock, the image’s sepia tone speaks to the photogravure process used to mass produce these cards. The texture is smooth, the result of industrial printing technology. Unlike a handcrafted photograph, the print quality is geared toward quantity and standardization. Goodwin & Company, a cigarette manufacturer, was tapping into the popular appetite for baseball. The company aimed to boost sales, embedding these cards within cigarette packs. This speaks to the increasing commercialization of leisure and sport, with players becoming brand ambassadors. The card represents a tangible intersection of labor, sport, and consumption. It reminds us that even seemingly innocuous collectibles have complex origins in the workings of capitalism.