George Washington Keefe, Pitcher, Washington Nationals, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

Editor: So, here we have a piece titled "George Washington Keefe, Pitcher, Washington Nationals," from 1889, part of the Old Judge series. It's a photo, a print actually, used for cigarette cards, and depicts a baseball player in uniform. It has this very… nostalgic feel to it, doesn't it? What jumps out at you? Curator: Well, it's interesting to consider what symbols resonate across time. Baseball, then as now, represented aspiration, leisure, a particularly American ideal of healthy competition. What does Keefe’s particular pose and dress evoke? He stands here formally presented in attire which resembles the popular suit worn for more elegant endeavors, juxtaposed with commoner sports attire. Does it denote hard work or play? Is he dignified or informal? These tensions contribute to the enduring symbolism in everyday life and activities. Editor: I hadn’t really thought about that, the suit implying wealth or privilege contrasted with the baseball uniform denoting more a blue-collar approach to making a living. So the image promotes both ideas equally, appealing to the whole social spectrum in the 1880's? Curator: Precisely. It highlights the cultural fluidity beginning at the time, blurring class lines through a shared love for sport and creating a very marketable symbolism of who and what can achieve this idealized American experience. Consider how advertising shapes identity and aspirations! Does it feel revolutionary even through this quiet sepia photograph? Editor: It does, actually. Thinking about it as a bridge between classes, and how sport contributed to that…that’s a really insightful reading. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! These glimpses into the past through imagery constantly inform our present, don't they?