T.R. Daly, 2nd Base, Brooklyn, from Mayo's Cut Plug Baseball series (N300)

Art Historical Context

Step back to 1895 with this commercial lithograph, *T.R. Daly, 2nd Base, Brooklyn from the Mayo's Cut Plug Baseball seriesN300). Produced by.H. Mayo & Brother Richmond, Virginia, this 2 13/16 × 1 5/8-inch card features a crisp portrait of athlete T.R. Daly, the skilled second baseman for the Brooklyn teamthen part of baseball's burgeoning National League. These cards were tucked into packets of chewing tobacco as promotional inserts, blending advertising with the era's hottest pastime. Lithography allowed for vibrant, mass-produced color images that captured players' intensity, making them instant collectibles for fans. At a time when professional baseball was exploding in popularity amid America's Gilded Age, such ephemera democratized hero worship, turning everyday smokers into armchair enthusiasts. The technique's efficiency highlighted commercial art's role in popular culture, preserving fleeting sports icons on affordable paper. Today, this gem resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, part of The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection—a treasure trove gifted by the pioneering baseball card collector. It whispers of 19th-century America's love for the diamond, where tobacco tins fueled both habits and hobbies.