Philip H. "Buster" Tomney, Shortstop, Louisville Colonels, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

This small photographic card, produced by Goodwin & Company for Old Judge Cigarettes, captures Philip H. "Buster" Tomney, shortstop for the Louisville Colonels. Here, the baseball itself is a powerful emblem. Consider the orb’s historical and symbolic weight. From ancient games of ritualistic significance to its place in modern sport, the ball represents more than mere play. It is a symbol of action, precision, and the contest between opposing forces. We see its echoes in the globus cruciger, an orb held by rulers signifying worldly power, and in the pomme held by infant Jesus, representing dominion over the world. Tomney's focused gaze and the careful positioning of the ball in his hands evoke a sense of anticipation and potential energy. This tension, captured in a fleeting moment, transcends the boundaries of time, reminding us that these symbols continually resurface, transformed yet fundamentally unchanged, in the vast theatre of human endeavor.