Geiss, Pitcher, Chicago, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This baseball card of Geiss, a pitcher for Chicago, was produced around the turn of the century by Goodwin & Company as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. It's a humble object, made of thin paper stock printed with a sepia-toned photograph. The card's materiality speaks to a fascinating intersection of sport, celebrity, and consumer culture. At the time, baseball cards like these were not precious collectibles, but promotional items included in cigarette packs to boost sales. The Goodwin company mass-produced them using photolithography, a process that allowed for relatively quick and inexpensive reproduction. The image itself, capturing Geiss in action, speaks to the burgeoning popularity of baseball and the rise of sports heroes. It’s interesting to consider how the card's distribution – tucked into packs of cigarettes marketed to a wide audience - democratized access to these images. Ultimately, this card isn't just about baseball, it's about how images and objects circulate in society, shaping our understanding of value and fame. It's a reminder that even seemingly simple objects can reveal complex stories about labor, consumption, and the making of culture.