Stemmyer, Pitcher, Boston, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

Editor: This is “Stemmyer, Pitcher, Boston,” a baseball card lithograph made around 1887 by Goodwin & Company, advertising "Old Judge Cigarettes.” It has this sepia tone and aged texture. It feels almost dreamlike in its nostalgic representation. What symbolic meaning do you draw from it? Curator: Dreamlike is a good way to describe it. I see how this simple portrait functions as a powerful cultural artifact. Baseball, especially back then, held a potent symbolic value—representing American ideals of teamwork, perseverance, and the pursuit of excellence. This card makes Stemmyer into an icon of those ideals. Notice how the “BOSTON” across his chest makes him the representation of the city itself. Editor: That's interesting. I hadn't considered the city element. So, the card itself is meant to promote this ideal. Is that because it's attached to the Old Judge Cigarettes brand? Curator: Precisely. Tobacco companies often aligned themselves with symbols of strength, virility, and national pride. Embedding Stemmyer’s image within that commercial context, cigarette advertisers tapped into pre-existing cultural associations to link their product with those deeply-rooted ideals. What effect does this commercialization have on the baseball player's image? Editor: I guess it makes him a symbol sold to the public… He transforms into this product almost as much as the cigarettes. Curator: Yes, which then becomes embedded within the broader narrative of that era. This intertwining of sports, commerce, and cultural ideals is what makes this little card so evocative, carrying layers of societal values from that period. It’s remarkable how a seemingly simple image can tell such a complex story. Editor: Definitely food for thought about celebrity and endorsement, even today! It's far more than a simple baseball card.