Bastian, 2nd Base, Chicago, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This is a baseball card from Goodwin & Company’s Old Judge series, dating back to 1888. We see Bastian, a Chicago second baseman, caught in a moment of anticipation, eyes fixed upward, hands poised as if in prayer beneath a floating baseball. Consider this gesture, this expectant upward gaze. It echoes across millennia, reminiscent of countless depictions of saints awaiting divine inspiration or celestial intervention. The hands, clasped in a mirroring way, recall the ‘imposizione delle mani’ – a gesture seen in the early Christian tradition to invoke the presence of God. But here, instead of divine light, it's a baseball descending. This symbol, the ball, becomes a modern-day representation of fate, chance, and the unpredictable forces that govern our lives. Note how it has shifted from a symbol of divine intervention to one related to luck and sports! As the ball falls, so does the weight of expectations, dreams, and collective hopes of the team resting on Bastian’s shoulders. This card captures the psychological intensity inherent in the game.