John Sowders, Pitcher, Kansas City Cowboys, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

Editor: This is "John Sowders, Pitcher, Kansas City Cowboys," a photographic print from 1888, part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. It's amazing to see such an early baseball card! I’m struck by the contrast between the posed formality and the dynamism you’d expect from an athlete. What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: What stands out is its placement in a rapidly industrializing America. Produced for a cigarette company, this image reveals how sport, commerce, and masculine identity were intertwined. The 'Old Judge' series highlights the commercial exploitation of athletes, but let's also consider how these images might have empowered players, granting them a new form of visibility. Who benefited most from this type of imagery, and at whose expense? Editor: That’s a perspective I hadn’t considered. So, beyond just being a baseball card, it reflects a specific moment in labor history and celebrity culture? Curator: Precisely! Consider how mass-produced images also shape public perception and collective memory. This photograph isn't just about John Sowders; it's about constructing a certain kind of American hero, a certain ideal of masculinity linked to consumerism. Were all athletes of the time equally represented in this kind of imagery? Who was excluded and why? Editor: I see what you mean. It makes you think about who gets to be remembered and how, based on commercial interests and social power. I will never look at sports memorabilia in the same way! Curator: That's the goal. To view objects as products of social, economic, and political forces – to excavate the layers of meaning embedded within them. Editor: Thanks, this really reframed my understanding!