Judge — May 4, 1907 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Play Ball!" - Judge Magazine, May 4, 1907 This political cartoon depicts what appears to be **President Theodore Roosevelt** (identifiable by his distinctive mustache and military bearing) as a baseball pitcher at a stadium. He's winding up to throw a large cannonball labeled "The Big Stick" toward home plate. The scoreboard shows "$5,000,000 Octopus Plot" versus "Rooseveltism," with zeros on both sides—suggesting a contest or confrontation. The caption reads: "The great national game of 1908 is on." **The satire**: Roosevelt's presidency was marked by trust-busting and aggressive enforcement against large monopolies (the "octopus"). This cartoon frames his political campaigns as a competitive sport, with his famous "Big Stick" policy weaponized as aggressive action against corporate trusts. The 1908 reference alludes to the coming presidential election.