Hines, Center Field, Indianapolis, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

This photograph of Hines, a center fielder for Indianapolis, was created by Goodwin & Company around 1888 as part of a series of baseball cards inserted in Old Judge Cigarettes. It's a simple albumen print, a popular method at the time, where the image is developed on paper coated with egg white, giving it a characteristic sepia tone and smooth surface. The material aspect here is crucial: mass-produced photographs like these weren't just about capturing a player's likeness, but also about selling a lifestyle, linking the burgeoning popularity of baseball with the habit of smoking. The scale of production speaks to the rise of consumer culture and the way images could be used to promote both products and pastimes. The photograph serves as a reminder that even seemingly simple objects can carry complex layers of meaning when we consider their making and their original context. It blurs the lines between art, advertising, and everyday life, inviting us to think about the social forces that shape our visual world.