Sullivan, Left Field, Chicago, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This is a photograph of baseball player Sullivan of Chicago, issued around 1887 as part of a series of cigarette cards. Sullivan is seen holding his baseball bat across his body, a posture that echoes the ancient contrapposto stance seen in classical sculpture. This stance suggests a balance between tension and relaxation, hinting at a readiness to spring into action. Think of the Doryphoros of Polykleitos; that sculpture embodied the Greek ideal of harmonious proportions, while Sullivan embodies the American ideal of athletic prowess. Just as the Doryphoros was a symbol of youthful strength and civic virtue, so too does Sullivan evoke a sense of national pride and the burgeoning culture of American sports. In both, we see how the body becomes a vessel for cultural values, shaped by collective desires and aspirations. These images tap into primal emotions, speaking to our shared human experiences of competition, admiration, and the pursuit of excellence. Consider how this symbol of athletic readiness has evolved – from the classical sculptures of antiquity to a baseball card in nineteenth-century America. A cyclical return to the past is made visible in the present, constantly renewing itself.