Michael Cornelius Dorgan, Right Field, New York, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This small baseball card, printed in 1887 by Goodwin & Company, depicts Michael Cornelius Dorgan of the New Yorks in a moment of anticipation, arms raised, eyes fixed on the descending ball. The gesture of raised arms, reaching for something above, echoes through art history—from ancient Egyptian depictions of souls ascending to the heavens, to Christian iconography of prayer and divine reception. We see this reaching motif again and again, a testament to our shared human desire to grasp the intangible, the transcendent. Consider the psychological weight of this universal gesture; it reflects hope, supplication, and a deep-seated yearning for connection. The image carries a feeling of earnestness, perhaps evoking a collective longing for simpler times, before the modern era. The baseball player, caught in this timeless pose, becomes more than just an athlete; he becomes a symbol of aspiration.