Tommy McCarthy, Center Field, St. Louis Browns, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the golden age of baseball with *Tommy McCarthy, Center, St. Louis Browns a gem from Goodwin & Company's Old Judge series (N172), produced between 1887 and 1889. This petite albumen photograph, measuring just 2 11/16 x 1 3/8 inches, captures the poised portrait of Tommy McCarthy, star center fielder for the St. Browns of the American Association. Tucked into packs of Old Judge Cigarettes, these cards were pioneering collectibles that fueled America's growing obsession with the national pastime during its professional infancy. As part of one of the earliest comprehensive baseball card sets, this ephemera from The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection highlights the sport's cultural explosion in the late 19th century. McCarthy, later inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, embodies the era's athletic heroes, his image immortalized amid the rough-and-tumble world of pre-modern baseball. Goodwin & Company, a tobacco firm, cleverly merged marketing with memorabilia, distributing thousands of these cards featuring over 500 players. The albumen process—using egg white-coated paper for sharp, glossy detail—lent these tiny prints surprising vibrancy, making them prized artifacts today. A snapshot of Gilded Age fandom, this card bridges sports history and print culture, reminding us how everyday objects preserved legends.

About the Artist

Goodwin & Company · 1850–1950

**Goodwin & Company (ca. 1850–1950)** Goodwin & Company, originally established as E. Goodwin and Brother before the American Civil War, emerged as a prominent New York City-based tobacco manufacturer in the mid-19th century. Operating from the bustling heart of Manhattan, the firm built its reputation on popular cigarette brands such as Gypsy Queen and, most notably, Old Judge, which became syno...