Baseball Art of Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Honus Wagner

Baseball Art Honus Wagner Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame

 Honus Wagner Hs been considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time.  And most people know that the Honus Wagner baseball card is one of the most valuable sports card around. The reason it is so valuable is because it was recalled in 1909 and all were destroyed except for a few that got into circulation. At the time, the cards were distributed along with tobacco.   Wagner didn’t smoke and he didn’t like to being included in the tobacco promotion because he did not want to set a bad example for children.

 Honus Wagner’s Hall of Fame Induction Speech June 12, 1939.  Cooperstown,  NY.

 Honus Wagner’s Hall of Fame Induction Speech June 12, 1939.  Cooperstown, NY.    “Ladies and gentlemen, I was born 1874, and this organization was started was 1876. When I was just a kid I said, “ I hope some day I’ll be up there playing in this league.” And by chance I did. Now Connie Mack the gentleman that preceeded me here at the mike, I remember walking fourteen miles just to see him play ball for Pittsburgh. (crowd laughs) Walking and running, or hitchhiking a ride on a buggy, them days we had no automobile. I certainly am pleased to be here in Cooperstown today, and this is just a wonderful little city, or town, or village or whaever we’d call it. It puts me in mind of Sleepy Hollow. (crowd laughs) However I want to thank you for being able to come here today.”

Baseball Pop Art Left- Handed Catcher Sports Painting

The Left-Handed Catcher 

What baseball play do you think this left-handed catcher would like to be involved with?  A batter in the right side of the batter’s box and a runner trying to go from second to third base.  That’s this left-handed catcher's wheel-house.  That’s the pocket to be sitting in. He doesn’t even have to come out of his squatting stance behind the plate to throw the guy out - a bazooka shot straight down the left foul line  And after this catcher throws out that base runner at third he is going to scowl at the runner, looking through his catcher's mask as if that guy had some nerve just to take a big lead off of second. base. 

Just think, when that catcher was a kid trying out the position as a left hander the coach probably looked over at him behind home plate and yelled out a string of four letter words that meant,  “Get out of there.  You want to play, get on first.”  Because in those days left-handers did not play catcher. You get the eerie feeling that if Thomas Wolfe was the coach he would have told him, “You can never play home.”  The only way a left-hander can get there on his own is by hitting a home run - unless he steals i - which means,. left-handed catchers are as rare as uncooked meat.

The baseball painting of the catcher created in a pop art style is 54” by 71” acrylic on unstretched canvas.  There is no stretcher bars or frame.  It hangs like a banner or tapestry.