The Art of Baseball Greets Players, Fans

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Baseball has captured the imagination of fans, players and artists, the artists capturing fans and players in paint on canvas.

This baseball season, some 500 boys and girls and their fans can see both great art and, they hope, play and watch great baseball at the fields of the Mill Creek Junior Baseball League, 1106 Bears Den Road.

The league has joined the Rocky Ridge Neighbors Association to create a Museum without Walls there.

Last Friday morning, Jack Carlton, Paula Jasper and Jason Vaughn unveiled reproductions of eight paintings of baseball players (and fans) that hang in the sports gallery of the Butler Institute of American Art. Among them: “Minor League” by Clyde Singer, “Roberto Clemente” by Lance Richbourg, “Home Run Queen” by L.E. Schneider, ”Spring Training” by Max Mason and “Santa Fe” by Vincent Scilla.”

Carlton, Jasper and Vaughn secured permission to reproduce and hang the works they chose on buildings at the baseball complex, framed and hung the reproductions. John Slanina, president of the neighborhood association praised their efforts that required more time and effort than most realize.

The art “means this space is a more vibrant one,” Slanina said. “When you see these pieces, they say, ’Come on in’ to these fields.”

They also invite the “kids,” as he calls the players, both boys and girls ages six to 18, to “go The Butler and see the originals.”

Carlton, one of the founders of Museum without Walls,” reflected on the 20 years he’s worked on behalf of Museum and marveled, “This is the first time I’ve been able to use so much work on one project.”

The president of Mill Creek Jr. Baseball, Bill Helsel, said, “We are happy and honored” to be the recipient of the art underwritten in large measure by the Raymond John Wean Foundation. “We pride ourselves in upgrading our facilities every year,” this year being the first that extended to baseball as art, not just the art of baseball.

The reproductions are somewhat smaller than the originals in The Butler, Jasper said.

Slanina guessed they should last somewhere between 10 and 15 years because they’re not protected against the elements.

Pictured: Jack Carlton stands before a reproduction of “Minor League” by Clyde Singer.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.