Baseball Players on Steroids

Baseball and Steroids, Runs, Hits and Lots of Errors

The first thing a new season’s manager needs to tell the players is the difference between human growth hormones (HGH), bovine growth hormone (bGH)and no hormones – and it has nothing to do with utters. He needs to tell the players some side

effects of steroids are reversible but other effects are never changed in the minds of the public.

By taking steroids and bGH a player can inflate his statistics and his body. I don’t mean to pick on Mark McGwire but to use him as an example In 1996 McGwire hit 50 home runs with 390 official times at bat – every 7.8 times he was at the plate. Babe Ruth did that eating candy bars and "light drink." When listening to McGwire’s infamous performance before 

House Government Reform Committee

 in March 2005 there were short pauses while viewers smothered their faces with laughter. McGwire didn’t hit 135 home runs in two years eating bonbons. Originally the baseball was made so you couldn’t hit it easily, high, or far, so 60 home runs a season hitters are usually pituitary freaks. But we want our players to be made by nature not in the lab. Remember when baseball players were small? (For example: PeeWee Reese). Joe DIMaggiowas only 6 feet 2 inches and weighed 193 pounds. 

Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? There is a generation out there that thinks DiMaggio invented the coffee maker. Like Joe DiMaggio, baseball players are symbols – of what things were what things are and what things will be. I guess we, as fans, get what we deserve. I just prefer not to see a some great ballplayer pumped up on steroids riding in a convertible waving to a frenzied crowd.

link button.jpg

America's Game of Basebal - Art

Why Baseball is The Game 

 As the great player and Hall of Fame manager, Earl Weaver said, “You can't sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You've got to throw the ball over the damn plate and five the other man his chance. That's why baseball is the greatest game of them all. “

 America’s Game

 “The Game” Baseball.  America’s great pastime.  The game most boys and some girls have played at some time in their lives.  It’s called America’s game because it was one of the first sports played seriously in the United State starting 1845.  I played in Little League and then in the Pony League.  After that, not much.  High school grades (bad ones) prevented me from playing in high school and there was no college in my future.

As long as I could play the game of baseball I felt I was still a kid, I forgot everything when I was playing.  The assaults of the world started on me early.  A bad day of playing the game was always better than any other day I had.  I didn’t have to worry about school, or my parents or friends.  All I thought about was hitting the ball and at other times catching the ball with waiting in-between.  And the waiting never bothered me.  I was lost in the dream of playing.  Even when there was no organized game to play, we played out in the streets, home plate a hub cap off a car and bases were curbs and lines in the street.  We’d play until dark and only quit because we could not see the baseball anymore.  And only occasionally did one of us get hit by a car – usually a light tap.

Walt Whitman on America's Pastime

 One of the great American poets, Walt Whitman lived at the time of the founding of baseball  1819 - 1892. He saw the beginning and the development of the game.  Horace L. Traubel who wrote about Whitman in , “Walt Whitman in Camden,” vol. 2 (stated by Whitman in September 1888): “Whitman spoke more about in glowing terms: Baseball is the hurrah game of the republic! That's beautiful: the hurrah game! well—it's our game: that's the chief fact in connection with it: America's game: has the snap, go, fling, of the American atmosphere—belongs as much to our institutions, fits into them as significantly, as our constitutions, laws: is just as important in the sum total of our historic life.

Sports Painting. About the Baseball Art

 “The Game” painting by sports artist John Robertson is an image of the batter, catcher and umpire that is almost life-size.  The size of the art piece is 6 feet by 10 feet, ink and acrylic on unstretched canvas.

Sports Baseball painting of Minnesota Twins Joe Mauer

Joe Mauer Old Catcher Now First Baseman


This painting of Joe Mauer first baseman and used to be catcher of the Minnesota Twins major league baseball team is approximately 8” x 10” on a 11” x 14” piece of drafting film. Ink and watercolor.

Joe Mauer's main position when he started playing was catcher and sometimes first baseman.  When asked to paint him for a relative he wanted a painting of Joe as a catcher.  As a catcher Joe took a few hits to the head causing some concussions.  On November 11, 2014 the Twins announced that Mauer would permanently move to first base in order to protect their star player from further concussions and the day-to-day physical wear of being a major league catcher.  Since then, like in the past he has performed nicely.

 Painting Inspiration

This painting was created for a  gift to my nephew-in-law.  He is my wife's sister's son who absolutely loves the Minnesota Twins and goes to as many games as he possibly can.   My wife's family is from Minnesota and her sister lives just about a hour north from the Twin Cities.  When my nephew left Minnesota to take a teaching job in Mexico he wanted something that would remind him of his home state.  His mother suggested a baseball player and we somehow found out his favorite player was Joe Mauer.

I did paint Joe as a surprise and it eventually the painting ended up in Mexico.  My nephew comes back to the states for all vacations and, of course back to Minnesota.  And one of the first things he does is go to a Twins game.  We get to see him every summer and a few times he has come to California to visit.   Also, he is moving on from Mexico after three years there he is not sure where his next job will be.  But he does like teaching in a foreign country except for missing the Twins

Nephew likes Minnesota Vikings



What is going to be fun this upcoming summer 2016 is the opening of the new Minnesota Vikings stadium.  Both my wife and I have painted large-scale sports artwork for the new stadium and will be able to take her nephew to the opening in July.  He is excited about the whole process as football and the Vikings is his next big passion.  Don't tell him but I will probably get some prints of the images I painted for the Vikings and they will be a great gift for his return.

Baseball Art Painting of Pittsburgh Pirates Dave Parker


Baseball painting of Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Dave Parker(The Cobra) throwing a baseball painted by sports artist John Robertson. He was the 1979 National League MVP and two-time batting champion.  Parker was the first professional athlete to earn an average of one million dollars per year.  One of his great quotes is, "When the leaves turn brown, I'll be wearing the batting crown" - Dave Parker in mid-season 1978.

Baseball Art LA Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax Sports Painting

Baseball painting image sports art of Sandy Koufax. is approximately 8" x 10" on 11" x 14" drafting film painted in oil.The sports painting  is painted in oil by Sports Artist John Robertson

Koufax pitched left-handed. He played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, from 1955 to 1966. He retired at the peak of his career, and in 1972

Koufax's had six outstanding seasons from 1961 to 1966, before arthritis in his left elbow ended his career prematurely at age 30. He was named the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1963. He won the 1963, 1965, and 1966 Cy Young Awards by unanimous votes, making him the first 3-time Cy Young winner in baseball history In each of his Cy Young seasons, Koufax won the pitcher's triple crown by leading the NL in wins, strikeouts, and earned run.

Koufax was the first major leaguer to pitch four no-hitters (including the eighth perfect game in baseball history). Despite his comparatively short career, Koufax's 2,396 career strikeouts ranked 7th in history as of his retirement, trailing only Warren Spahn (2,583) among left-handers. Koufax and Nolan Ryan are the only two pitchers inducted into the Hall of Fame who had more strikeouts than innings pitched.

(Information provided by
Wikipedia)

Jackie Robinson #42 image art sports painting

We have not had a chance to see the Jackie Robinson yet. Awhile back a client commissioned me to paint #42’s portrait. When she was a child her father took here to games so she could see him play. The sports painting is 4 ½ feet by 6 feet, acrylic on unstretched canvas. The painting is displayed and hung like as a banner or tapestry


Andre Ethier Los Angeles Dodger Outfielder image sports painting


Baseball art painting of Andre Ethier by artist John Robertson is approximately 4 feet by 7 ½ feet, acrylic on unstretched canvas. 

Andre Ethier, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder. This season will be the eighth of Andre Ethier's career.  He is the Dodgers' everyday right fielder.  One thing I really like about him is that he supports one of the same organizations that I am in interested in.  He is involved with various charities including the Union Rescue Mission, whose efforts are dedicated to serving men, women and children experiencing homelessness

David Wright Third baseman for the NY Mets.


Image Sports Painting of David Wright Third baseman for the NY Mets.  Approximately 8" x 10" image on 11" x 14" drafting film.

David Wright, gold glove third baseman, captain, all-time hits and RBI leader for the New York Mets is one of the biggest stars playing in one of the biggest cities in the world. Signed through the decade and a shoe-in for the hall of fame, he’s likely to be a fan favorite for generations of fans.: http://www.gamedaygoods.com/David-Wright-Canvas-Sports-Art-ORIGINAL-by-Sports-Artist-John-Robertson_p_56836.html  (If Still Available)

Sports Image Baseball art LA Dodgers second baseman

The reference material for this Baseball Art Painting is of Los Angeles Dodgers Second Baseman Mark Ellis.  Image is black acrylic on a 30” x 40” gallery wrapped canvas with maps of Los Angeles applied to the surface of the canvas.  Sports art painting is by John Robertson

Philip Humber Pitcher Chicago White Sox Throws No-Hitter

This is a small sports baseball painting of Philip Humber who threw the most recent no-hitter in Major League Baseball. The no-hitter was thrown against the Seattle Mariners on April 21, 2012. Humber recorded a perfect game.
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team prevents the other from recording a hit during the entire game.There have been 251 official major league no-hitters, including two in the postseason. 
The baseball art is a 14” x 17” oil painting on drafting film. The actual baseball player image on the drafting film is about 10” x 14”.

Image Jim Thome designated Hitter Philadelphia Phillies baseball art

Art Baseball painting Jim Thome designated Hitter Philadelphia Phillies. The 41-year-old slugger is a solid bat off the bench. As I am an older guy it is good to see an old guy still swinging the bat. The baseball image of Thome is about 8" x 10" on a 11" x 14" drafting film. Ink, watercolor and acrylic.

Baseball Art – First Baseman Albert Pujols Los Angeles Angels Painting

Portrait art. Painting of trophy baseball player Albert Pujols. He is in the Los Angeles Angels lineup, playing first base and batting third. Painting is 8" x 10" acrylic, watercolor and ink on 11" x 14" drafting film.