Burnham, Manager, Indianapolis, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This is a baseball card from the Old Judge Cigarettes series, featuring Burnham, the manager of the Indianapolis team, created by Goodwin & Company in 1887. Burnham's dignified attire, especially his bowler hat, speaks volumes about the cultural values of the time. Consider the hat, a universal symbol of authority and respectability. This headwear reminds us of the Phrygian cap, worn by the freed slaves of antiquity, or the turbans that were common in the East, each symbolizing dignity and status. Like the ever-present halo in religious iconography, this hat marks Burnham as a figure of importance in his own world, in his own right. Across time, headwear has denoted power and identity, shifting and evolving with cultural tides. What subconscious impressions were at play when viewers saw Burnham, the baseball manager, so deliberately placed into his own milieu? This image evokes a silent, powerful connection to traditions of authority.