Joseph "Joe" Strauss, 3rd Base, Omaha Omahogs/ Lambs, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This photographic baseball card, produced by Goodwin & Company in 1888, captures Joseph Strauss, the third baseman for the Omaha Omahogs. Strauss is caught in action, hands raised in anticipation, ready to catch a ball. This gesture reminds me of depictions of ancient orators, their hands positioned to persuade and engage their audience. The open hands of the player invite us to consider the act of receiving, a gesture of vulnerability and readiness. Throughout the ages, this hand position is seen in various art forms— from the outstretched hands in religious icons symbolizing grace, to its appearance in secular contexts, representing receptiveness. The pose evokes an emotional connection to the subject, bridging the gap between the individual athlete and universal symbols of human interaction and exchange. These symbolic echoes reverberate across time, revealing how gestures, like cultural memories, reappear, transformed yet familiar, in our collective consciousness.