Fein, Nathaniel, Babe Ruth bows out. 1948. George Eastman House

For me the the low angle and rear vantage point from which this photograph was taken bestow Ruth as a symbol of worship and place the viewer at his feet. The vantage point that Fein chose gives us a behind the scenes glimpse. We can see the other photographers setting up to take similar angled shots but from our vantage point we see a slight weakness, Ruth is still imposing and commands the stadium but he stoops ever so slightly, his arms at his side his bat no longer feared but acting as a cane--he looks weary, defeated.

He stands on the baseball diamond in the stadium aptly called 'the house that Ruth built' for the final time as his number is retired.  Ruth would die two months later.