Ervin Duane "Jim" Curtiss, Right Field, St. Joseph Clay Eaters, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887 - 1890

This black and white photograph, produced by Goodwin & Company, is a baseball card from the "Old Judge" series for Old Judge Cigarettes, created between 1887 and 1890. The card depicts Ervin Duane "Jim" Curtiss, a right fielder for the St. Joseph Clay Eaters. Curtiss stands holding a baseball bat, presenting a classic baseball card portrait, a popular collectible genre. This particular card, now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection in New York, is an example of the early days of sports cards as both advertising and historical documentation.