Jerry Denny, 3rd Base, Indianapolis, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This is a baseball card of Jerry Denny, a third baseman for Indianapolis, produced in 1887 by Goodwin & Company for Old Judge Cigarettes. The image presents us with an interesting intersection of sport, commerce, and early photographic techniques. During this time, baseball was rapidly growing in popularity, and businesses sought ways to capitalize on this trend. Old Judge Cigarettes used these cards as a marketing strategy, inserting them into cigarette packs to boost sales. The cards, like this one, were albumen prints, a photographic process that was popular for its clarity and detail. What's striking is how this reflects the evolving commercial landscape of the late 19th century in the United States. We might ask ourselves, how did the rise of consumer culture influence not only what was produced but also how sports figures were perceived and consumed by the public? To understand this fully, we can look into the advertising history of the period and the cultural significance of baseball during this era. The answers are found through careful archival research and study.