Ed Crane, Pitcher, New York, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

Editor: So, here we have “Ed Crane, Pitcher, New York,” a baseball card from the "Old Judge" series, created by Goodwin & Company in 1888. It’s a photographic print, a bit sepia-toned, and… honestly, it feels incredibly staged. How should we interpret this image? Curator: Staged, yes, but consider the social context. This wasn’t just about selling cigarettes; these cards offered a carefully constructed vision of masculinity and American identity during a period of intense industrialization and shifting social roles. Who was included, and equally important, who was excluded from this vision? Editor: That’s interesting. I hadn't considered the potential power dynamics at play, as related to who got selected. It makes me wonder, were baseball players like Ed Crane actually considered role models, and what specific ideals did they represent? Curator: Precisely. Think about the burgeoning popularity of baseball. It was seen as embodying values of hard work, discipline, and teamwork – characteristics deemed crucial for success in the rapidly modernizing nation. Consider too the prevailing racial biases of the era. Who typically got these opportunities, and who were systematically denied them? Editor: So, it’s not just a portrait; it’s a snapshot of societal values, carefully curated for a mass audience. What did it mean to be a man, an athlete, and “American” at that moment? Curator: Absolutely. And how did the act of commercializing these images through products like cigarettes further shape these perceptions and reinforce dominant social structures? The packaging is part of the statement. Editor: It reframes it entirely! It shows how images participate in reinforcing stereotypes and even selling them to us! This has really opened my eyes to how much context matters! Curator: Mine as well! It’s always fascinating to peel back the layers and realize just how much these small artifacts reveal about the society that produced them.