March 11, 2008

Back In The Swing: : In February 1962, Sports Illustrated sent the illustrator Robert Weaver to cover spring training in Florida. He then created a series of paintings that appeared in the March 5, 1962, issue of the magazine.

The drawings that follow are from his sketchbook.

read story | posted by chicobangs to Baseball at 12:51 PM CDT (6 comments total)

I found I preferred the drawings of the fans to the players, but this entire collection just gave me pause.

Comment icon posted by chicobangs at 12:52 PM CDT on March 11

Great link. They're all good, but yeah, some of them just have a little extra that makes them great.

Comment icon posted by yerfatma at 1:25 PM CDT on March 11

There is more of his work here

Comment icon posted by Landis at 1:59 PM CDT on March 11

I hadn't seen any of these in years. They certainly bring back a lot of memories of a time when baseball was a lot more leisurely. Those were the days of cutting Electrical Engineering labs (we could make them up, as long as the lab report was turned in on time) to walk across the Fenway to the baseball field of that name. A few hours of heaven in the bleachers could be purchased for a very small price, and it came with a couple of beers, too.

Thanks, chico, for the post.

Comment icon posted by Howard_T at 2:37 PM CDT on March 11

I have to admit, baseball has lost me as a fan in my adulthood (too much, how you say, Fehr & Loathing), but there is beauty in these drawings, even in the Mantle-as-musclebound-meathead caricatures. And the way he managed to get Dimaggio's form with just a couple of flicks is quietly amazing.

But something as simple as the posture of the fans in the segregated seats will just make me stop and think: Okay, I know what it would be like to be there.

Comment icon posted by chicobangs at 3:34 PM CDT on March 11

Gotta love the whiskey nose on Smoky Burgess. Wade Boggs wouldn't have a chance with those guys with his Miller Lites.

Comment icon posted by gfinsf at 3:56 AM CDT on March 12

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