A Foul Ball, from the Talk of the Diamond set (N135) issued by Duke Sons & Co., a branch of the American Tobacco Company 1888

This curious chromolithograph, made by Duke Sons & Co., shows a baseball player, a startled horse, and a gaggle of chickens. The image teems with symbolic potential, particularly the figure of the horse. Consider the rearing horse, an ancient symbol of virility and untamed power, here thrown into disarray. We see echoes of equestrian statues of triumphant emperors, now humorously subverted by the rider's loss of control. The chickens, symbols of domesticity and sometimes foolishness, scatter in comical panic. This baseball card is a potent reminder of the enduring power of symbols to convey complex emotions and ideas, even in the most unexpected of contexts. It invites us to contemplate how collective memory and cultural narratives shape our perceptions, reminding us that even a simple image can carry profound psychological weight.