0103 - Graig Kreindler
Graig Kreindler is a renowned baseball artist, historian, and researcher. During our conversation, he referenced a handful of things and people upon which you may want to do more research. Consider this page to be your “liner notes” for the episode so you can follow along.
Me and Graig Kreindler at the opening reception of the Black Baseball In Living Color exhibit featuring his artwork at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri
1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle
This card features the illustration style which Graig mentions was common in the late-40s and early-50s style baseball card sets.
Original Photograph
The original photograph upon which the illustration for the above card was based was almost certainly shot by New York Yankees team photographer Bob Olen in early 1951.
Graig’s Painting For His Dad
Completed in 2002, this was the first painting Graig did of a baseball scene. Mickey Mantle at the plate during the 1952 World Series at Ebbets Field.
The Caracoling Elephant
This painting features Honus Wagner at Chicago’s West Side Park in 1909.
Hubbell Blanks Bees
This painting features Carl Hubbell pitching for the New York Giants in 1937, wearing their short-lived baby blue-trimmed uniforms.
Banjo
This painting features Yankees bat boy Eddie Bennett in 1921.
SABR Bio by Peter Morris
The Dugout
This painting by Norman Rockwell is one of the most iconic paintings in baseball history.
The Only Patient The Doctor Says “No” To
This painting by Dean Cornwell was produced for a magazine advertisement in 1944.
The Nation Makers
This painting by Howard Pyle was completed in 1902.
On His Holidays, Norway
This painting by John Singer Sargent was completed in 1901.
Sommarnöje
This painting by Anders Zorn, whose title roughly translates to “Summer Fun” or “Summer Entertainment” was completed in 1886.
The 2nd of May in Madrid
This painting by Joaquín Sorolla was completed in 1884, and depicts the death of Pedro Velarde y Santillán during the defense of the Monteleon Artillery Barracks.
The Elders
This painting by Peter Fiore is an example of his use of light and shadows in landscape.
Charles Conlon
Of the many truly iconic photos taken of Shoeless Joe Jackson over the years, this image by Charles Conlon in 1913 may be the most famous of them all.
George Burke
While most of Burke’s photos are from the 1930s, this photo of Ray Chapman was taken in 1920, or possibly even earlier.
Chapman’s sad tale is told in the incredible book by Mike Sowell, The Pitch That Killed.
George Grantham Bain
Not only was he an incredible photographer, he also founded the first news photograph service, Bain News, in 1898.
Paul Thompson
This shot of Joe Jackson can easily be dated to the 1917 World Series, thanks to the unique uniforms the team only wore for those games. Thompson was a prolific photographer, capturing images of the greats of the game in the early part of the 20th century.
Honus Wagner, 1903
Taken by an unnamed photographer from the Chicago Daily News, and now a part of the Chicago History Museum collection
Napoleon Lajoie, 1903
Taken by an unnamed photographer from the Chicago Daily News, and now a part of the Chicago History Museum collection
Color Study, Christy Mathewson, 1900
As you can see, the level of detail here isn’t quite as great as it is in the fully realized painting. The purpose of the color study is to get the colors right, not to create a perfect image.
Mathews
This painting features a young Christy Mathewson as a member of the Norfolk Phenoms of the Virginia League in 1910.
SABR Bio by Eddie Frierson
Color Study, Joe Jackson, 1917
You can see the premise of the painting that is about to be created, but the scope is smaller, the details aren’t as sharp, and the painting itself is 5” x 7”.
Series Bound
This painting, whose fully realized form was 20” x 16”, shows the wider perspective of the scene touched upon in the color study. Joe Jackson overlooks the field from the dugout as his team prepares to advance to the 1917 World Series.
John Thorn
John Thorn has been the Official Historian of Major League Baseball since March 1, 2011.
Red Barber with Jackie Robinson
Red Barber was one of the great baseball announcers of all time, calling play-by-play from 1934 to 1966.
SABR Bio by Warren Corbett
Navin’s Nominal Star
This painting features Ty Cobb at bat in 1908.
A Terrible Beauty
Buy it HERE
The Shot Heard ‘Round The World
Bobby Thomson’s game-winning home run off Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Ralph Branca at the Polo Grounds in New York City on October 3, 1951, to win the National League pennant.
Brooklyn Trolleys
These trolleys were part of the public transit system that ran throughout Brooklyn, including near Ebbets Field. Pedestrians had to stay out of their way, leading to the nickname Trolley Dodgers, which was later just shortened to Dodgers, how the baseball team was named.
Derek Jeter, 2000
This painting features Derek Jeter in the year 2000, playing for what would be his fourth ring at the time.
SABR Bio by Alan Cohen
Same Moment, Different Painting
When you have a self-imposed rule of never painting the same image twice, there are some creative workarounds you can employ…
The Luckiest Man
This painting shows a different angle of Lou Gehrig giving his famous speech.
Gehrig’s Farewell
This painting shows another slightly different angle of the same moment, one of the most iconic moments in baseball history.
Gehrig Fights Back Tears
This painting shows a close up of a dramatic moment in Lou’s impromptu speech on July 4, 1939.
Ford’s Effort For Naught
This painting shows Ty Cobb sliding into third base on July 23, 1910 vs. the New York Highlanders.
Charles Conlon Original Photo
Possibly the most famous baseball photograph ever taken, Conlon wasn’t even sure if he got it.
April 7, 2019
In the Reds’ ninth game of the year, Yasiel Puig was already making art.
July 31, 2019
Yasiel Puig, getting in a fight for a team on which he was no longer a member, after being traded mid-game on the trade deadline.
Nolan Ryan vs. Robin Ventura
On August 4, 1993, Robin Ventura became the first player in Major League history to get six hits off of Nolan Ryan in a single inning.
Babe on the Red Sox
This painting shows a young Babe Ruth at his first spring training with the Red Sox in 1915.
Babe as a Skinny Yankee
This painting shows Babe in 1921, selecting his bat of choice.
Babe as a Fat Yankee
This painting shows Babe Ruth before the first game of the 1932 World Series.
Babe as a Brave
This painting shows Babe Ruth as a member of the Boston Braves on April 23, 1935.
Babe as an Old Man
This painting shows Babe Ruth giving his famous speech at Yankee Stadium on April 27, 1947.
That Man Mantle
This painting of Mickey in 1951 is the largest Graig has done, to date. It measures in at 62” wide and 86” tall, which means it’s basically life-sized.
Crowd, DiMaggio Stays Hot
This painting shows Joe DiMaggio’s famous follow through as he extends his hitting streak during the summer of 1941.
Bill Foster
The 1927-28 mallorquina Cuban baseball card featuring the legendary Bill Foster.
SABR Bio by Thomas Kern
Graig’s Painting
This painting features Bill Foster with the Cuba Baseball Club from the 1927-28 Cuban Winter League.
The Dutch Master
This painting shows Reds pitcher Johnny Vander Meer sitting in the dugout in 1938.
SABR Bio by James W. Johnson
Topps 150 Years of Baseball set
Graig’s painting of Babe Ruth, immortalized forever on a Topps baseball card.
Graig in front of some of the 228 paintings he completed for the Black Baseball In Living Color exhibit at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri
The Heater Makes History
This painting shows Bob Feller, “The Heater From Van Meter”, during his Opening Day no-hitter in 1940 against the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park.
Meeting a Hero
Graig had a chance to show Bob Feller his painting of his incredible feat at the 2009 National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland.
Masters of Their Craft
SABR Bio by C. Paul Rogers III
Namesake
The Graig Nettles picture Graig Kreindler drew as a child, which Nettles eventually saw in person and signed.
SABR Bio by Joseph Wancho
A Talented Family
The Geek’s Guide To Unrequited Love by Sarvenaz Tash
Enter Sandman
This painting (I swear, it’s a painting) shows Mariano Rivera exiting the bullpen en route to the pitcher’s mound at Yankee Stadium in 2004.
SABR Bio by Alan Cohen
