William Frederick "Bill" Krieg, Catcher, Minneapolis, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

Editor: This is "William Frederick 'Bill' Krieg, Catcher, Minneapolis," a photographic print from 1888 by Goodwin & Company, originally for Old Judge Cigarettes. The player looks pretty serious in his catcher's gear. What stands out to you when you look at it? Curator: It's fascinating to consider this not just as a portrait, but as a piece of commercial ephemera deeply embedded in the rise of both baseball and mass consumption. How was photography being industrialized to meet the demands of advertising and sport? Editor: So, how the baseball card was made is significant? Curator: Exactly. We see the collision of industries. The tobacco companies using cheap photographic prints to drive cigarette sales, essentially packaging athletes as commodities. Notice the "Old Judge" brand stamped right on it; it’s impossible to separate Krieg the athlete from his role as a marketing tool. Think about the labor involved – from the photographer and printers to the field workers harvesting the tobacco. Editor: That's a great point! So this isn't just about baseball, but about larger economic systems? Curator: Absolutely! Consider the accessibility of these cards. Were they meant for everyone, or did class and gender play a role in who consumed both cigarettes and baseball? Were working-class kids trading them on street corners? It points to much broader issues. Editor: I hadn’t really thought about it that way. It makes me consider who really benefitted from these early forms of advertising. Curator: Seeing this piece helps understand not just baseball’s history, but how early capitalism shaped visual culture and commodified athletes. It highlights the materials, manufacturing, and how consumerism was born.