William "Bill" Frederick Krieg, 1st Base, Washington Nationals, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century baseball with this petite albumen photograph from Goodwin & Company's iconic Old Judge series (N172), produced in 1887. Titled *William "Bill" Krieg 1st Base, Nationals*, it captures the stern gaze and poised stance of the athlete, rendered in warm sepia tones on a tiny sheet measuring just 2 11/16 x 1 3/8 inches. These cards were tucked into Old Judge Cigarette packs as clever marketing ploys, enticing collectors while promoting tobacco to sports enthusiasts. Albumen prints, a hallmark of the era, offered remarkable detail and longevity, making these ephemera enduring portraits of early professional ballplayers. Krieg, a key first baseman for the Nationals, embodies the grit of baseball's formative years in the late 1880s, when the sport exploded in popularity amid America's growing leisure culture. Part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, this piece hails from The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection—a treasure trove of donated American graphics that preserves such cultural snapshots. Today, it highlights the intersection of photography, advertising, and fandom, reminding us how fleeting inserts became gateways to athletic heroism and nostalgia.

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...