Jose Mendez Baseball Glove Art Celebrates Cuban Star
“The Black Diamond” (“El Diamante Negro”) Painted on Vintage Baseball Glove
Cuban Hall of Famer José Méndez, featured on a vintage hand-painted baseball glove. (Baseball art by Sean Kane.)
"El Diamante Negro" (The Black Diamond) was a pitcher for many clubs during the early 1900s, all of which are listed on the artwork, including Almendares and Kansas City Monarchs.
Mendez managed the KC Monarchs to becoming the Negro Leagues Champions in 1924.
It was exciting to find this early 1900s Spalding glove with vintage modifications to the web: a couple of hand cut diamond shapes, very fitting given Mendez’s nickname!
I love matching the glove to the player as much as I enjoy the research and design of hand-lettering that is consistent or reminiscent of the era.
There is also a wing nut used in place of the standard metal button on the wrist strap which reminds me of the resourceful repairs to objects I've seen during a visit to Cuba.
This painting has been sold. Inquires about paintings and commissioning glove artworks are welcome. Contact Me.
Artist Sean Kane
Sean Kane's baseball glove art is in the collection of the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and was part of the "Chasing Dreams" exhibit at the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art. Sean was recognized as “Artist of the Month” by the National Art Museum of Sport. His work has been commissioned by the Philadelphia Phillies, Cal Ripken Sr Foundation and The Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. More about Sean
