Mortimer Edward Hogan, Right Field, Cleveland, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This photograph shows Mortimer Edward Hogan, a right fielder for Cleveland, and it was made as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series in the late 19th century. Here, we see the baseball—a symbol not only of sport but of a distinctly American pastoral ideal, a counterpoint to industrialization. The act of throwing, seen here, is reminiscent of classical sculptures of discus throwers, figures that embody human potential. In this photographic likeness, the gesture is not frozen in marble but captured mid-motion, suggesting dynamism. Think of how this simple action, throwing a ball, has evolved from ancient games to modern athletic rituals. It’s a cyclical progression, where ancient impulses resurface, transformed, in new cultural contexts. Just as surely as cultural memory influences our present.