George, Pitcher, New York, from the series Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This photographic print of George, a New York pitcher, was created by Goodwin & Company as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. At first glance, we see the trappings of an early baseball player: the uniform, cap, and bat. Consider the bat, however, a seemingly simple piece of wood. Since ancient times, the club, the staff, the scepter, and now the baseball bat, each of these shares an origin as symbols of power, authority, virility. Think of the scepters of kings or the clubs wielded by heroes in classical sculpture. Over time, the meaning of the bat has evolved, yet it retains an echo of these ancestral symbols. The baseball bat is a kind of modern-day scepter, imbued with a sense of strength and skill. This photograph taps into something primal. The collective memory associated with such a symbol is a powerful force engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. Thus, the bat—a basic tool—becomes laden with symbolism, its transformation throughout history a testament to the enduring power of visual motifs.