Elmer Ellsworth Cleveland, 3rd Base, New York, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This late nineteenth-century baseball card, produced by Goodwin & Company for Old Judge Cigarettes, captures Elmer Ellsworth Cleveland in mid-throw. The gesture of throwing, of giving, is an archetypal motif that carries a deep cultural resonance. Consider the classical sculptures of antiquity, where gods and heroes extend their arms, bestowing gifts, or wielding power. This card presents a similar dynamic, albeit in a modern, secular context. The baseball, offered towards us by Cleveland, becomes a symbol of American ideals—competition, teamwork, and the pursuit of excellence. But the trajectory of the thrown object is not always benevolent. Think of the Cyclops hurling rocks, the angry gods throwing lightning bolts. Even something as simple as the act of throwing can be seen as a manifestation of primal energies and an assertion of the will. It reminds us that even in a humble baseball card, ancient forces are at play, reminding us that the game, and life itself, are a continuous cycle of action and reaction.