Jocko Milligan, Catcher, St. Louis Browns, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887 - 1890

This is a photograph of Jocko Milligan, a catcher for the St. Louis Browns, produced around 1888 by Goodwin & Company. These cards were made using albumen prints, a process that involves coating paper with egg whites to create a glossy surface before adding a photographic emulsion. The mass production of these cards coincided with the rise of both professional baseball and the popularization of photography, driven by industrial capitalism. These cards weren't conceived as art, but were included in cigarette packs as a marketing strategy. The idea was to encourage repeat purchases and foster brand loyalty. The image of Milligan, caught in a moment of athletic prowess, becomes a commodity itself, wrapped up with the pleasures of tobacco consumption. The value of this card resides not only in its rarity or historical significance, but also in what it tells us about the intertwining of commerce, leisure, and the evolving concept of celebrity at the end of the 19th century.