Baseball Glove Art Presented to Catcher Carlos Ruiz

Ex-Phillies Catcher Honored by Team for 1000th Game Milestone

Carlos Ruiz or "Chooch", as he is known, was presented this one-of-a-kind painted glove artwork by the Philadelphia Phillies in a private ceremony earlier this month.

The artwork includes a portrait and hand-lettered career highlights.

The team wanted the artwork to reflect Ruiz's dedication to the game, including being part of the 2008 World Championship and 2009 NL Championship teams.

Ruiz was recently traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers after an 11-year career with the Phillies.

Ruiz has the distinction of being on the receiving end of four no-hitters, including a Perfect Game in 2010.

A big thanks to the Phillies' front office for commissioning this special gift. (and one for Ryan Howard, too.)

Sean Kane's painted baseball glove art is in the permanent collection of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, The National Pastime Museum and in private collections across the U.S.

His glove paintings have been featured on ESPN.com, NBC Sports.com, and MLB Network Radio and his work has been recognized by the National Art Museum of Sport.

Sean has been a professional artist for over 20 years and a baseball fan since he was old enough to wear his dad's old glove.

Unique Retirement Gift for CEO: Executive Portrait on Vintage Baseball Glove

Corporate Portrait Commission for Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital President

When the long-time CEO of the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood, FL retired recently, I was commissioned by the hospital to create a one-of-a-kind baseball glove painting as a special gift for him.

The neatest part of all was that the portraits painted were of the CEO and the hospital's namesake, Joe DiMaggio.

DiMaggio, the Hall of Famer and Yankees great, lent his name to the children's hospital, one of the leading pediatric hospitals in South Florida.

Preparations for Painting an Executive Portrait

The project started by receiving a snapshot of the hospital's CEO with DiMaggio from the client.

This was supplemented by researched photos, all of which were used as the basis for the portraits.

The glove used for this painting is a Joe DiMaggio signature model Spalding glove from the 1940's.

It still had a visible but light signature stamping.

I designed the painting so that DiMaggio's portrait would be above his signature.

It's actually the second time I've painted Joe DiMaggio's portrait on a vintage signature model glove.

A black and white painting of DiMaggio from his playing days was added to the design, along with hand-lettered "statistics" from the CEO's notable 30-plus years with the hospital's parent company.

Top down and side view of the portraits. A few bends in the leather to consider when placing the design on the glove.

The final painted glove was shipped in an archival museum box with a small black easel for easy display on a desk or shelf.

My client at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital said they loved the final painting and presented it in a ceremony at the hospital.

As a portrait artist, that's the reaction I strive for -- knowing that the work is appreciated and that it will have a positive impact and will hopefully be enjoyed for many years to come.

A big thanks to the team at JDCH!

If you and your organization or company are looking for unique gifts, awards or special keepsakes, just let me know. We can discuss your needs and design an unforgettable solution for your occasion or awards program.

Artist Sean Kane's painted baseball gloves in the collection of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, The National Pastime Museum and private collections across the country.  Sean was recognized as “Artist of the Month” by the National Art Museum of Sport.

Inquires about paintings and commissioning glove artworks are welcome. Please contact sean@seankane.com or telephone 519-836-5647.

WVU Exhibit on Negro Leagues Baseball and Latin Culture Opens

The 'Negro Leagues Beisbol Exhibit' arrived at West Virginia University and I had the great honor of having my Minnie Minoso baseball glove artwork included and being there for the Opening Day festivities.

The exhibit depicts the lives of athletes of color during racial segregation in the United States, focusing on African American Baseball and Hispanic Culture 1860-1960. It began a two month-long stay at the WVU Erickson Alumni Center on Sunday, Sept. 18.

The Opening Day event was highlighted by the keynote presentation from Pedro Sierra, a former pitcher in the Negro Baseball Leagues and friend of his fellow Cuban countryman, Minnie Minoso.

Pedro Sierra took a few minutes to tell me stories about his coach with the Washington Senators, Ted Williams.

Minnie Minoso is the featured player in the exhibit, which highlights Spanish-speaking players in the Negro Leagues.

Glove art near exhibit entrance

Minnie Minoso corner

With Dr. Robert Waterson, Director of WVU CDCE

Dr. Robert A. Waterson, Director of the West Virginia University Center for Democracy and Citizenship Education within the College of Education and Human Services, brought the exhibit to Morgantown.

A mission of the exhibit is to make available to teachers and their students across West Virginia teaching materials, videos and visits to the exhibit with an aim to keep alive these aspects of history that are challenging and not always convenient to discuss, but necessary for growth and improvement as a society.

Awarding art prize to WV 6th Grader.

As part of the educational component of the exhibition, a state-wide art and essay contest was held for elementary school students to express their thoughts about baseball and civil rights.

I was asked to take part in awarding the winners, including this talented 6th grader, who created a wonderful drawing of Jackie Robinson. I only wish I had a photo of it.

With John Wakelin, friend and contributor to the exhibition

Along with my Minnie Minoso baseball glove art, the exhibit includes important artifacts from my friend and Negro Leagues collector, John Wakelin.

These items include players’ personal letters and photos, memorabilia from Latin American teams, rare cards and game programs which add an important human touch to the exhibit.

Note my friend John's shirt, complete with Negro Leagues team logos!

Players from WVU's Mountaineers baseball team joined in the festivities and were great fun to talk with and were curious about the artifacts.

And a baseball art road trip wouldn't be complete without seeing some baseball, here provided by the Mountaineers at their scenic stadium. The ballpark is also home to the West Virginia Black Bears, in the Pirates' minor league system.

The weekend was full of opportunities to meet friendly WVU students, staff and administrators and fellow baseball fans.

Big thanks to WVU's CDCE and Dr. Waterson for hosting my visit.

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Minnie Minoso Baseball Glove Art in WVU Exhibit

Painted Glove artwork featuring Minnie Minoso is part of the “Negro Leagues Beisbol” exhibit at The WVU Center for Democracy and Citizenship Education.

The exhibit focuses on African American Baseball and Hispanic Culture from 1860-1960. The history of Negro League Baseball during this period includes links to Latin baseball leagues and players moving between them.

Minnie Minoso was one such player, playing in his native Cuba and for the New York Cubans Negro Leagues team.

Minoso then went on to play for the Cleveland Indians and star for the Chicago White Sox, where he was their first African American player.

This Minoso baseball glove art, on a vintage glove from his playing era, depicts Minnie as a New York Cuban, refers to his "Cuban Comet" nickname, and draws attention to a few of his baseball career milestones in Cuba, Negro Leagues and in Major League Baseball.

The West Virginia University exhibit will be the third such public showcase for the Minoso glove art since 2014, continuing its’ journey around the country helping to spark memories and curiosity about the Negro Leagues era and this special player.

I encourage you to attend the exhibition, September 18 - October 28, 2016, at the WVU Alumni Center in Morgantown, WV, which will also include items from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and private collections.

There are many educational opportunities available for students and teachers as part of this exhibition. It's a unique lens through which to learn more about the challenges of past generations and relate it to today's world. More info here.

Thanks to Dr. Robert Waterson and the WVU Center for Democracy and Citizenship Education for inviting me to participate in this event with this work.

Baseball Glove Art featuring Dizzy Dean

Painting of Hall of Fame Pitcher Dizzy Dean on Vintage Glove

Sean Kane's painting of Dizzy Dean, a member of the 1934 St. Louis Cardinals World Championship team:

• Original acrylic painting on classic leather baseball glove by Sean Kane

• 1930's Spalding Glove is approximately 11"w x 10.5"h

• Hand-painted portrait and lettering highlights Dean's awards and career milestones

This Painting is Not Available

For questions about purchasing a painted glove, custom orders, etc., I'd be happy to talk with you. Please phone 519-836-5647 or email sean@seankane.com

Jay Hanna "Dizzy" Dean was part of the Cardinals "Gashouse Gang" in 1934.

Dean won 30 games in 1934 en route to the World Series Championship. He was the National League MVP that year, also scooping up an All-Star nomination while leading the league in strikeouts.

Dizzy Dean played for the Cardinals before being traded to the Chicago Cubs for the 1938 season. He appeared briefly for the St. Louis Browns in 1947.

Back of Dizzy Dean artwork Spalding glove

Dizzy was a headliner with Satchel Paige for barnstorming tours of games played around the country during the Great Depression.

Dean was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953 and was a broadcaster for several teams after his playing days.

Sean Kane's baseball glove art has been featured on NBC Sports.com, ESPN.com, MLB Network Radio, and is in the collection of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and private collections across the country.  Sean was recognized as “Artist of the Month” by the National Art Museum of Sport.

Inquires about paintings and commissioning glove artworks are welcome. Please contact sean@seankane.com or telephone 519-836-5647.

A Career Captured on a Mitt: A Gift for Coop

Glove Art Commissioned as a Surprise Present for Cecil Cooper

Last year a Painted Glove featuring Cecil Cooper was created for the Milwaukee Brewers Fantasy Camp as a fundraising item, which turned out to be a hit.

That baseball glove art prompted camp friends and former Brewers teammates of Coop's to commission a new painting celebrating his impressive baseball career -- this time as a surprise gift for him.

This gift was given to Cecil Cooper at Milwaukee Brewers Fantasy Camp earlier this month (Feb. 2016) in Arizona.

The glove features depictions of Coop's time on two American League Championship Teams: playing first base with the Boston Red Sox (1971-1976) and up to bat the Brewers (1977-1987).

Centered on the large mitt is the main portrait of him as a Brewer.

Since Coop is a lefty, I chose an appropriate 80's era Rawlings first base mitt, just like the one he told me he used during his career.

All the big stats and honors from Cecil Cooper's career are noted, including his Gold Gloves, All-Star games, Silver Sluggers and RBI Leader years.

Also, researching his 2192 career hits, I found that Coop ranked 112th on the All-Time Hits list at the time of his retirement.

Cecil expressed excitement about the gift from his friends and says it will be displayed proudly at home between his Gold Glove Award and Roberto Clemente Award.

As the artist, it doesn't get much better than knowing that a creation is meaningful to the recipient.

Rob Deer and Camper looking on with Coop.

What a thrill to be a part of this gift and to have the opportunity to celebrate Coop's career as a player. Big thanks to David, Bill and Jerry for entrusting me with this commission for their friend.

Sean Kane's baseball glove art is in the collection of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum along with private and corporate collections across the country.  

Inquires about paintings and commissioning glove artworks are welcome. Please contact sean@seankane.com or telephone 519-836-5647.

1982 Milwaukee Brewers Infield on Fantasy Camp Fundraiser Art

'82 Brew Crew Baseball Glove Artwork a Hit

A baseball glove painting commemorating the 1982 Milwaukee Brewers starting infield was part of the fun and fundraising at the Brewers Fantasy Camp recently held in Phoenix.

The intricate painting features Hall of Famers Paul Molitor and Robin Yount, Jim Gantner and Cecil Cooper.

The glove used is a 1980's Rawlings Pro Model. Upon seeing the glove, Yount said, "That's my gamer." It wasn't actually one of his game-used gloves, but it confirmed that the glove was definitely the right one for this painting.

The deep pocket of the glove and wrap around design of the artwork required cutting my paint brush handles in half (link opens new window) in order to fit my hand in the glove while painting.

The design process involved selecting photo reference of the infielders from 1982, arranging them with an eye on where seams and fingers break up the surface, and sizing them to fit.

I definitely wanted to include the iconic Brewers logo, placed on the "infield diamond" of the glove, along with other logo types the team used on jerseys from the Championship season.

Photo: Rick Ramirez

It was a thrill to be present for Fantasy Camp Q&A Night with participants from the '82 AL Championship team.

And it was a treat showing the artwork to 3 of the 4 guys portrayed on the glove: Gantner, Yount and Cooper.

Also answering questions that night from the 1982 team were Don Money, Mike Caldwell and Brewers/baseball legend, Bob Uecker, who I got to sit with in the front row.

Former Brewer and Fantasy Camp coach, Don Money, is shown here with the winner of the glove artwork, camper Paul C., whose name he drew in the raffle.

Best of all, the '82 Brew Crew Painted Glove was part of an exciting and generous camp fundraising effort (including Kangaroo Court fines, jersey auction and matching grants) that raised $7500 for Stars and Stripes Honor Flight. 

The donation from Brewers Fantasy Camp will send many WWII and Korean War veterans to Washington, DC to visit their memorials. Fantastic!

A big thanks to Brewers' broadcaster and captain of the camp, Bill Schroeder (above, talking to Brewers' Doug Melvin), along with pal Rick Ramirez and the rest of the Brewers staff and Fantasy Camp family that welcomed me back to their awesome event to be a part of the fun.

1982 Brewers Infielders featured on Painted Glove art by Sean Kane.

Sean Kane's baseball glove art has been featured on NBC Sports.com, ESPN.com, MLB Network Radio, and is in the collection of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, private and corporate collections across the country. Sean has been recognized by the National Art Museum of Sport for his baseball art. 

Inquires about paintings and commissioning glove artworks are welcome. Please contact sean@seankane.com or telephone 519-836-5647.