George Catlin, born Wilkes-Barre, PA - Ball Players - n.d. - T-Shirt

A hand-coloured lithograph by George Catlin shows a group of painted athletes in the middle of a stickball match, captured in the observational style of the 1830s.

Visual Elements & Composition

The scene is built on soft parchment cream, which fills nearly half the plate, with warm sand tones framing the figures. Skin tones in tan and touches of rust red give the players their warmth, while feather grey picks out the headdress and quieter details. Three lacrosse players with sticks stand as a grouped figure, one wearing a feathered headdress, and the ball sits caught in the netting of a stick. The words "BALL PLAYERS" are set across the plate, anchoring the image as a documented record rather than a loose sketch.

Meaning & Symbolism

Stickball, the ancestor of modern lacrosse, was played by many Indigenous nations across North America. Often called the "little brother of war," it settled disputes between tribes, built social bonds, and tested the endurance of warriors. Gatherings on large open fields drew entire communities, and the game carried ceremonial traditions alongside its athleticism. Catlin travelled widely through the nineteenth century to document these cultures before the reservation era, and this piece is part of that record of sport as a central part of communal life.

Made for the Athlete in You

Catlin's athletes are painted and posed for the viewer, so the design reads best when it sits across a chest, where the grouping of figures and the title can be seen at a glance. The parchment-toned palette and the lithograph's fine detail translate directly onto a tee, letting the scene of players in motion stay in view as you move.