James F. "Jimmy" Macullar, Shortstop, Des Moines Prohibitionists, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This commercial card by Goodwin & Company captures James Macullar, a shortstop for the Des Moines Prohibitionists. Yet, it's the stooped posture that draws my eye. This isn't merely an athlete preparing for the game; it echoes a posture of supplication, humility, and readiness. Throughout art history, we find figures kneeling or bending, signifying submission or reverence. Think of medieval depictions of saints or supplicants bowing before a deity. In this image, Macullar’s posture, though intended to convey athletic readiness, evokes this deeper, primal gesture. The bending figure is an archetypal image, rooted deeply in our collective unconscious. It speaks to our vulnerability, but also our potential to rise, adapt, and spring into action. It reminds us of the cyclical nature of life, of humbling ourselves before we can leap forward. This baseball player has something of an old devotional image. The game is almost a rite, and he, the humbled adept.