Untitled (Cardinal baseball player pitching) 1961

Curator: This photograph, "Untitled (Cardinal baseball player pitching)" by Jack Gould captures a moment in time. I’m drawn to the texture of the celluloid, the way it holds the image. Editor: It’s a very classic scene, but the framing gives it a certain mid-century tension. The baseball player, caught mid-pitch, becomes symbolic of a bygone era, a time of perceived innocence and distinctly gendered labor. Curator: Absolutely. The visible Kodak markings are integral; these photographic materials were very much a product of their time, framing labor and leisure. Editor: Right, and thinking about the Cardinals as a team, the picture brings up questions of race and labor practices in professional sports. Who had access and who was excluded? Curator: A valid point! The materiality here speaks directly to the socioeconomic and political realities of sport. Editor: Exactly. It’s more than just a baseball photo; it's a window into America’s complex history with labor, race, and leisure.