Michael Cornelius Dorgan, Right Field, New York, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

Curator: Welcome to the Old Judge series. We are looking at "Michael Cornelius Dorgan, Right Field, New York," created by Goodwin & Company in 1887. The artwork is a gelatin-silver print, a popular method at the time, created for promotional purposes. Editor: What strikes me is the rather ghostly quality of the print. It feels almost like a memory surfacing—perhaps appropriate, given its age! Curator: The high contrast between light and shadow lends itself to an interesting flattening of form. Observe how the planes of his body nearly merge due to a lack of gradation. This gives the player a monumentality despite the modest dimensions of the print. Editor: There's a timeless quality that emerges from its imperfections. We see not just a baseball player but the aura of early Americana. Baseball has always held such symbolic weight—representing ideals of teamwork and healthy competition. It's also evocative because of its connections with tobacco usage, which isn’t always seen as positive. Curator: That symbolic reading is further supported by Dorgan's stance. He is posed here, in his uniform, arms crossed, not in the heat of action. It isn't performative; it functions primarily as a presentation of "Michael Cornelius Dorgan," right fielder. Editor: Consider also the significance of baseball itself at this historical moment. Post-Civil War, baseball transcended its function as a mere pastime to become a binding force for the reunited nation. Images like this fueled the creation of national identity around sport. It allowed a myth of American-ness to surface in common culture. Curator: You've articulated the complexities beautifully. It is also crucial to remember the conditions of photographic printmaking at this period. While seemingly simplistic now, such a print was groundbreaking. These are interesting moments for visual culture to shift to new possibilities of image making. Editor: Indeed! Seeing baseball elevate itself through visual material, reveals how we continually construct idols from those ideals we aspire to, like excellence, competition, and of course, baseball.