Jim McCormick, Pitcher, Pittsburgh, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This 1887 Goodwin & Company card, part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series, immortalizes Jim McCormick, a pitcher for Pittsburgh. His poised hands, ready to hurl the ball, evoke the ancient gesture of offering, reminiscent of classical depictions of athletes and gods preparing to unleash their power. Consider how the throwing motion—a dynamic act of releasing energy—echoes across cultures. Think of Zeus casting his thunderbolts, or even the discus throwers of ancient Greece. These images, separated by millennia, share a common thread: the human form in a moment of concentrated potential. The baseball itself, though a modern invention, becomes a symbol laden with cultural weight, embodying notions of competition, skill, and national pride. The collective memory associated with such actions elicits a potent, visceral response from viewers, engaging them on a subconscious level. It's a dynamic pose, a moment of tension before release, that resonates across time.