T.C. Burns, 3rd Base, Chicago, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This is a small card from the Old Judge Cigarettes series, likely from 1888, featuring T.C. Burns, the third baseman for the Chicago team. These cards were not created as art, but as a marketing tool to be included in cigarette packs. These images offer a glimpse into the cultural landscape of late 19th-century America. Baseball was fast becoming the national pastime, and the nascent industry saw the value in associating its product with sports heroes. Note the backdrop to the photograph. This is not a candid shot of the ballfield, but a carefully staged image that uses painting to evoke the atmosphere of a ballpark. The ‘Old Judge’ brand was owned by Goodwin & Company of New York. To understand the deeper meanings of an image like this, one might delve into advertising history, the rise of professional sports, and the social history of tobacco use. Only by researching these contexts can we understand the complex interplay of commerce, culture, and leisure in this seemingly simple image.