Hugh N. "Little Nick" Nicol and John Good "Long John" Reilly, "Long & Short", Cincinnati, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This sepia-toned photograph, produced by Goodwin & Company for Old Judge Cigarettes, depicts baseball players Hugh N. "Little Nick" Nicol and John Good "Long John" Reilly of Cincinnati. The image reduces these athletes to the reductive labels of "long and short," highlighting the pervasive cultural practice of defining individuals through simplistic, often physical, attributes. Consider how the commodification of these players—used to sell cigarettes—mirrors broader societal tendencies to exploit and market individuals based on perceived differences. The male gaze is palpable, turning these athletes into objects of public consumption. What does it mean to flatten these men to mere physical characteristics? The photograph, while seemingly innocuous, reveals much about the late 19th-century's fascination with categorizing and consuming identities. It prompts us to reflect on how we continue to negotiate identity, representation, and commodification in contemporary society.