John Good "Long John" Reilly, 1st Base, Cincinnati, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

John Good "Long John" Reilly, 1st Base, Cincinnati, is a baseball card from the Old Judge series created around 1888 by Goodwin & Company for Old Judge Cigarettes. These cards emerged in a time when baseball was rapidly gaining popularity, reflecting the growing commercialization of sports and its intersection with consumer culture. The cards were a marketing strategy to promote tobacco sales, targeting a predominantly male audience. Consider the role of photography, and its distribution, in shaping celebrity culture during this era. Reilly, like many athletes of his time, became a public figure through these images, yet the cards also highlight the limited representation within professional sports. In those times there was hardly any racial diversity, and the commercialization through tobacco further reflects the social norms and exclusions of the late 19th century. The image, now preserved in a museum, prompts us to reflect on the complex layers of identity, representation, and cultural values embedded in this seemingly simple baseball card.