Whitney, Pitcher, Indianapolis, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This is a baseball card from the Old Judge series, produced by Goodwin & Company, around 1887. Here, Whitney, a pitcher for Indianapolis, is poised, baseball in hand. The gesture of the hand, open and offering, echoes across centuries, reminding us of religious iconography where such gestures signified blessing or offering, think of ancient Roman leaders depicted mid-speech, or Christian saints. Such imagery taps into primal aspects of human psychology. This posture of the hand remains charged with emotional and psychological power. The baseball itself, a sphere, becomes a symbol of potential energy. The round shape and open hand remind me of how this archetypal symbol has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings in different historical contexts, reflecting an evolution in society's collective consciousness.