Henry "Heinie" Kappel, Left Field, Cincinnati, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This photographic card from around 1880, by Goodwin & Company, depicts Henry "Heinie" Kappel, a left fielder for Cincinnati. Kappel is captured in mid-throw, a baseball raised, his body coiled with the potential energy of release. The act of throwing is laden with symbolism. Consider the discus throwers of ancient Greece, immortalized in marble, their poses echoing a moment of controlled power, of action suspended. Kappel's gesture is more immediate, less idealized, yet it shares this archetypal energy. The ball itself, a sphere held aloft, becomes a symbol of potential, of fate waiting to be unleashed. We see this same motif echoed in Renaissance paintings of Fortuna, the goddess of fortune, turning her wheel, or the orb held by rulers representing dominion. The simple act of throwing, seen through the lens of history, reveals layers of meaning—of human agency, chance, and the cyclical nature of destiny. It is a primal gesture, one that resonates deep within our collective memory.