This entry in the Helmar "Polar Night" series depicts Doc Bushong of Brooklyn, standing confidently
beside home plate, his throwing arm raised and ready. The soft pink and blue tones of the sky frame
his crisp white uniform and red trim, evoking a sense of early-evening calm before the contest resumes.

Bushong was one of baseball’s earliest professional catchers, known for his intelligence and the calm
precision with which he handled pitchers. A man of science as well as sport, he balanced his career as
a dentist with his role on the diamond—a reflection of baseball’s transitional era between gentleman’s
pastime and professional pursuit.

Artwork by Valiukevich-Mandel.