Michael “Kid” Madden found major league pitching success despite his slight frame (5'7" at 124 pounds) and young age, thanks to an array of off-speed pitches that first earned him a contract with Portland of the New England League and later with Boston's Red Stockings. The 19-year-old Madden won 21 games in his rookie year (1887), which led to his appearance on a number of Old Judge poses, seven in all, echoing how companies leap to produce cards of exciting young stars to this day.

Madden never duplicated the success of his first season and pitched progressively less over time, perhaps due to the evolving skills of hitters he faced. In 1890 he joined the Player’s League team in Boston and later bounced to other teams and leagues until his retirement at just 25, due to health concerns. He passed from tuberculosis in 1896, one of too many players of his era to die before their 30th birthday.

This particular card has the distinction of appearing as Madden's reference image for #288-2 in the Old Judge photography book by Miller, Gonsowski, and Masson on page 305.

This Old Judge #288-2 shows Madden posing with a bat and arms akimbo. Its SGC VG 3 (MK) grade features good contrast, a slant to its lower edge, a spot on its image frame at lower left, and light "#3" penciled on the reverse. The PSA population report shows just eight graded for this pose!