Edward Hugh "Ned" Hanlon, Center Field, Detroit Wolverines, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This small card, produced by Goodwin & Company in 1887, depicts Edward Hugh "Ned" Hanlon, a center fielder for the Detroit Wolverines. The image is dominated by Hanlon’s confident stance, hand on hip, a posture that speaks to the burgeoning cult of the sporting hero. Consider the gesture of the hand on the hip, a motif that stretches back through art history to classical sculpture. We see this pose in depictions of emperors and gods alike, figures embodying authority and self-assuredness. The composition is echoed in countless portraits across centuries, each subtly adapting the symbol of power. Such gestures are not merely stylistic choices. They tap into a reservoir of collective memory, resonating with subconscious associations of leadership and control. The cigarette card places Hanlon within this lineage, elevating him from mere athlete to a figure of cultural significance. In this cyclical progression, the gesture resurfaces, evolves, and acquires new meanings, all while rooted in a primal understanding of power.