Theodore A. "Ted" Kennedy, Pitcher, Des Moines Prohibitionists, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This is a photographic print made in 1888 by Goodwin & Company, advertising Old Judge Cigarettes. It depicts Theodore A. "Ted" Kennedy, a pitcher for the Des Moines Prohibitionists. The card is more than just a portrait of an athlete. It's a window into late 19th-century American culture and the burgeoning commercialization of baseball. Note how Kennedy’s uniform, with its distinct "D" and peculiar "X" decorations, speaks to the regional identities and nascent branding efforts within the sport. The fact that a cigarette company used baseball imagery to promote its product shows the increasing convergence of sports, advertising, and consumer culture. To truly understand this image, we might delve into archival records of baseball teams, advertising strategies of the time, and even the history of Goodwin & Company. Each provides a layer of context, revealing the complex interplay between art, commerce, and social life. The meaning of art, as this card demonstrates, is always contingent on its historical and institutional context.