The first series of cards in the T206 set were issued beginning in 1909 in cigarette and loose tobacco packs through 16 different brands owned by the American Tobacco Company. It is a landmark set in the history of baseball card collecting due to its size and rarity, with cards of over 500 major and minor-league players issued in the set through 1911. It is known informally as the "White Border" set due to the distinctive white borders surrounding the quality color lithographs on each card.

This desirable Southern League card features Nashville's Roy Ellam standing with his bat at the ready in front of a yellow sky and green grass background. Centering is southeast on the canvas, with a large crease across the bottom right corner, keeping this card from a higher grade. The printing is beautiful, though, and there is a lot of detail, especially in Ellam's face. The Old Mill (SL) back is bright and clean, with minor soiling particularly along the right edge.

Among the more popular subsets in the T206 issue, Southern League (SL) cards are lauded for their scarcity. 48 Southern Leaguers were printed in total, separately from the rest of the T206 cards, resulting in a shorter supply than other T206s. These cards are in high demand among collectors.