McGuire, Catcher, Philadelphia, from the series Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This mounted albumen print of "McGuire, Catcher, Philadelphia," was created by Goodwin & Company. It's part of the "Old Judge Cigarettes" series. The photograph's composition directs us immediately to the figure of McGuire. He is centrally positioned in a classical, almost academic pose. Note how the sepia tones flatten the image, emphasizing the textures of his uniform, glove, and the baseball suspended mid-air. Goodwin & Company captured more than just a baseball player; they distilled an essence of athleticism and projected the sport as an embodiment of modern virtues. Consider how the studio lighting accentuates McGuire's determined expression. It transforms a commercial product into a celebration of American ideals. The print's materiality, its surface and sepia tones, reminds us that meaning resides not only in the subject matter but in the very substance of the artwork itself. It represents an attempt to capture and commodify a moment, blurring the lines between sport, commerce, and cultural identity.