Burdick, Catcher, Indianapolis, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This is a baseball card of Burdick, a catcher for Indianapolis, produced around 1888 by Goodwin & Company as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. These cards existed within a burgeoning commercial culture, where even leisure activities like baseball became intertwined with the promotion of products like cigarettes. Consider the implications: young boys collecting these cards, idolizing players, while simultaneously being exposed to the advertisement of a harmful product. This was a time when the commercialization of sport was just beginning, and institutions like the baseball league were still finding their footing. This image then is not just about baseball; it's a cultural artifact embedded in the complex relationship between sport, commerce, and public health. Looking at images like these, the historian can delve into archives of advertising history, studies of early baseball, and public health records to better understand the social and institutional context in which this seemingly simple card was produced and circulated.