Hoover, Right Field, Philadelphia, from the series Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

Goodwin & Company created this photographic print, "Hoover, Right Field, Philadelphia," as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. These cards emerged during a transformative period for baseball and photography. Consider the late 19th century when baseball was becoming America's pastime, and photography was evolving from a cumbersome process to something more accessible. These cards weren't just about the players; they were about marketing an aspirational lifestyle, connecting athleticism with leisure and consumption. The image captures a poised athlete, Hopper, gazing upwards. Yet, there is a tension in the image – it promotes a world of leisure built on the backdrop of intense industrial labor and social inequalities of the time. The "Old Judge Cigarettes" series reflects how identities were being crafted and commodified during this era. Baseball, initially a sport with diverse participants, was becoming increasingly segregated along racial and class lines. So, while admiring the athleticism captured here, let us consider the narratives left out of frame.