Warren William "Hick" Carpenter, 3rd Base, Cincinnati, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This card, produced by Goodwin & Company for Old Judge Cigarettes, captures Warren William "Hick" Carpenter in what we might call a moment of athletic contemplation. Carpenter stands, poised, his hands raised as if frozen mid-throw. This gesture—the raised hand—resonates far beyond the baseball field. We find it echoed in countless images across time: in classical depictions of orators and gods, each commanding attention and power. The act of throwing, historically linked to the casting of lots or the flinging of spears, carries a potent symbolism of action and destiny. Consider how this motif appears in Renaissance paintings, where divine figures often extend their hands in gestures of blessing or judgment. This baseball player, in his own arena, embodies a similar sense of focused energy, a figure poised to influence the game's unfolding narrative. The collective memory of such images imbues Carpenter's stance with an unconscious weight, transforming a simple baseball card into a tableau of human potential and fate.