Wheelock, Right Field, Boston, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This photographic card of Wheelock, a right fielder for Boston, was produced by Goodwin & Company as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. The card presents us with the image of a baseball player, a symbol that taps into potent cultural narratives. Consider the simple act of holding a baseball bat, a motif laden with meaning. In antiquity, the club symbolized power and authority, seen in images of Hercules wielding his club, a sign of his strength. Here, Wheelock holds his bat almost like a scepter, embodying the aspirations of a nation and connecting to archetypes of heroism. The team name emblazoned across the chest, 'Boston,' functions as a tribal marker, evoking feelings of local pride. This evokes similar sentiments to emblems on shields used in ancient battles, which create a sense of unity and purpose among community members. The baseball player as the modern gladiator, fighting not for conquest, but for the pride of the city. It's a potent image that speaks to our collective yearning for heroes.