William Louis Hassamaer, Right Field, Kansas City Cowboys, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

This is William Louis Hassamaer's baseball card, Right Field, Kansas City Cowboys, from the Old Judge series, created by Goodwin & Company in 1888, a promotional item for Old Judge Cigarettes. Visually, the composition strikes one as both staged and spontaneous. Hassamaer's pose, caught mid-throw, displays an orchestrated sense of action. Note the sepia tones, which lends the card a nostalgic quality. The visual structure uses a semiotic system of signs. Hassamaer's uniform, bearing "KC", signifies team affiliation and civic pride. The baseball itself is an emblem of athleticism and American pastime. The very act of capturing Hassamaer in this moment elevates him to a figure of cultural significance. The text at the bottom functions to situate Hassamear's place and association with the Old Judge Cigarettes. This baseball card, therefore, is more than a mere portrait; it's an interplay of form and function, subtly reinforcing cultural values while advertising a product.