Sommers, Left Field, Baltimore Orioles, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This small card, produced around 1888 by Goodwin & Company, features Sommers, a left fielder for the Baltimore Orioles. He is captured mid-throw. This act transcends mere sport; it echoes the ancient motif of the discobolus, the discus thrower, from classical antiquity. Consider the repetition of this dynamic pose across millennia. The poised tension, the body's potential energy about to be unleashed—it speaks to something primal within us. Think of Myron's sculpture: the athletic body frozen at its peak moment, embodying ideals of beauty and strength. Here, Sommers mirrors that same dynamism, albeit in a distinctly American context. The shift from the idealized Greek athlete to the baseball player shows how cultural values have changed, while preserving the memory of human achievement. What began as a celebration of physical prowess in religious and civic festivals has transformed into a symbol of modern sport and the commercial spirit of the late 19th century. Sommers embodies a new kind of hero.