Walter Robert "Walt" Wilmot, Left Field, Washington Nationals, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This small card, produced by Goodwin & Company in 1888, features Walter "Walt" Wilmot of the Washington Nationals. Observe his hands, lightly cupping the ball, palms facing inward in a gesture reminiscent of offering or protection. This hand gesture—the open palm—reverberates across millennia and cultures. We see it in ancient Roman oratory, signifying sincerity, and in countless religious depictions where open hands denote blessing or supplication. Think of the Virgin Mary, her hands outstretched in a gesture of compassion, or a Byzantine emperor offering gifts. The gesture evolves, certainly. But the core remains: an appeal, a moment of vulnerability and potential exchange. Wilmot, with his poised hands, encapsulates this tension. He is ready to hurl the ball, a moment of potential action, yet the open hands retain the echoing appeal for connection, for success, for the shared thrill of the game. These non-linear gestures repeat and are echoed through time.