Captain J.C. Daly, All Around Athlete, from World's Champions, Second Series (N43) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1888

This trade card, from a series of 1888 by Allen & Ginter, features a portrait of Captain J.C. Daly, an "all around athlete" who could throw a 56-pound weight 27 feet using the Irish style. The card's design is typical of the genre, with a detailed illustration of the subject against a backdrop of sporting implements, and includes a textual description of the athlete's accomplishments. The Metropolitan Museum of Art houses this example of 19th-century ephemera, which reflects the widespread popularity of athletic figures in American culture.