Owen F. "Spider" Clark, Catcher, Washington Nationals, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

Editor: So this photographic print from 1889 depicts Owen F. "Spider" Clark, a catcher for the Washington Nationals. It was made by Goodwin & Company as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. I find it really interesting how this fairly straightforward portrait gains complexity because it was used in advertising. What symbols or meanings do you see in it? Curator: I'm immediately drawn to the upward gaze. Clark isn’t looking at us; he's looking towards the sky, maybe towards a fly ball, or something more metaphorical, more aspirational. The baseball itself acts as a symbolic sun, an object of adoration or perhaps destiny in his young life. His mittened hands almost appear as protective guardians ready to grasp what fortune sends his way. Editor: That’s interesting, the idea of the baseball as a 'symbolic sun.' I hadn't considered the angle of his gaze to represent hope. Do you think that connection to aspiration was intentional, considering it was used in advertisement? Curator: Absolutely. This was more than just a depiction of an athlete, but also a tool for imbuing the act of smoking the Old Judge cigarettes with the cultural narratives of that time, primarily linked to progress, achievement and what we might today call 'the American dream.' The symmetry of the photo—his centered stance, balanced gaze—all reinforce ideals of balance, of hitting a harmonious equilibrium. Think about what cigarettes symbolize even today. Editor: So, the portrait isn't just of a baseball player; it’s part of a story that’s linked to ideas circulating at the time, such as achievement, industry, and… smoking! Curator: Exactly. Recognizing how images participate in larger cultural dialogues transforms a seemingly straightforward baseball card into a compelling snapshot of its time, a lens focusing on what the culture most valued. Editor: It is like reading a visual language, interpreting signs of what people longed for and celebrated at that time. It’s all connected. Curator: And it remains a story worth re-telling.