Delehanty, Washington, American League, from the White Border series (T206) for the American Tobacco Company

Art Historical Context

Step into the early 20th-century world of America's favorite pastime with this charming lithograph from the legendary T206 White Border series produced by the American Tobacco between 1909 and 1911. Titled *Delehanty, Washington, American*, it features a portrait of baseball player Bob Deleanty of the Washington Senators. At just 2 5/8 x 1 7/16 inches, this pocket-sized print was designed as an insert in cigarette packs, blending sports hero worship with clever marketing. Lithography, the medium here, enabled vibrant, mass-produced color images that captured the era's booming commercial printing techniques. These cards immortalized athletes in formal poses against clean white borders, making them instant collectibles amid baseball's rise as a national obsession. The T206 series, with its 500+ variations, became a cornerstone of sports memorabilia, reflecting how tobacco companies fueled fan culture while promoting their products. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department as part of The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this ephemera piece highlights the intersection of art, advertising, and athletics. It's a tiny time capsule of 1910s America, where everyday heroes like Delehanty connected fans across the country.

About the Artist

American Tobacco Company · 1826–1909

**American Tobacco Company (1890–1911)** Founded on January 31, 1890, in Durham, North Carolina, by James Buchanan Duke, the American Tobacco Company emerged from the consolidation of five major U.S. tobacco manufacturers: W. Duke & Sons, Allen & Ginter, Goodwin & Company, W.S. Kimball & Co., and Kinney Brothers. Under Duke's aggressive leadership, it rapidly achieved monopoly status, controlling...