HOF Sketch Card Project: Charlie Gehringer

Widely regarded as one of the greatest second basemen of all time, Charlie Gehringer played exclusively for the Detroit Tigers between 1924 and 1942. During his career, Gehringer compiled a .320 batting average and had seven seasons with more than 200 hits. Nicknamed "The Mechanical Man" by Yankee pitcher Lefty Gomez for his consistency as an all-around player, he was the American League batting champion in 1937 with a .371 average, a feat helped him win the MVP that season. He was among the Top 10 vote recipients in the Most Valuable Player voting for seven straight years from 1932 to 1938. A perennial all-star, Gehringer played every inning of MLB's first six All Star Games. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1949.

I completed this sketch card in August 2012.

10 random facts about Charlie Gehringer:

• In 1934, Gehringer had his best year to that point, playing all 154 games and leading the Tigers to their first American League pennant in 25 years.
• During a ceremony on "Charlie Gehringer Day" in 1929, the people from his hometown presented Gehringer with a set of golf clubs. Though the clubs were right-handed, and Gehringer was left-handed, he learned to golf right-handed rather than trade for a left-handed set of clubs.
• After the 1934 season, Gehringer was part of the Major League All Star tour of Japan. The American team included Gehringer, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Jimmie Foxx.
• His 7,068 assists is the second-highest total in MLB history for a second baseman. 
• Gehringer's career totals of 2,839 hits and 574 doubles both rank 19th in Major League history. 
• Famed Negro League pitcher Satchel Paige claimed that Gehringer was the best white hitter he ever pitched against.
• In the off-season, Gehringer worked as a sales clerk in the downtown Detroit.
• Gehringer served as the Tigers' General Manager and Vice President during the 1950s.
• Gehringer's number 2 was retired by the Tigers in 1983.
• Gehringer enlisted in the U.S. Navy after the 1942 season; he served 3 years, and was released from duty in 1945.

HOF Sketch Card Project: Willie Mays

Willie Mays was widely considered to be the greatest ballplayer of his generation, and a case can even be made for him being THE greatest athlete to ever step foot on a Major League field. Nicknamed "The Say Hey Kid", he spent most of his career with the New York/San Francisco Giants (1951-72) before finishing his career with the New York Mets (1972-73). Mays was a two-time National League MVP and is tied with Stan Musial for having played in a record 24 All Star Games. Despite his outstanding offensive numbers - 660 homers, 3,283 hits and 1,903 RBI - he is perhaps most famously known for "The Catch", his over-the-shoulder catch that robbed Indians batter Vic Wertz of an extra-base hit in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series (the Giants would go on to win the World Series that year).

He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his first year of eligibility.

I completed this sketch card in August 2012:

I completed this sketch card in October 2012:

10 random facts about Willie Mays:

• Mays began his major league career with no hits in his first 12 at-bats. On his 13th at bat, he hit a homer over the left field fence of the Polo Grounds off future Hall of Famer Warren Spahn.
• Mays won a record-tying 12 Gold Gloves during his career.
• He hit 4 home runs in one game on April 30, 1961.
• He is one of 5 National Leaguers to have 8 consecutive 100-RBI seasons (the other players are Mel Ott, Sammy Sosa, Chipper Jones and Albert Pujols). 
• Mays hit over 50 home runs in 1955 and 1965, representing the longest time span between 50-plus home run seasons for any player in Major League history.
• Mays is the only Major League player to have hit a home run in every inning from the 1st through the 16th innings.
• He finished his career with a record 22 extra-inning home runs.
• Mays was the on-deck batter when Bobby Thomson hit his famous pennant-winning home run, "The Shot Heard 'Round the World," on Oct. 3, 1951. 
• Willie Mays Day was proclaimed by former mayor Willie Brown and reaffirmed by mayor Gavin Newsom to be every May 24 in San Francisco, paying tribute not only to his birth in the month (May 6), but also to his name (Mays) and jersey number (24). The date is also the anniversary of his call-up to the major leagues.
• Years before he became the "Say Hey Kid," when he began his professional career with the Black Barons, Mays was called "Buck" by teammates and fans.

Felix Hernandez Sketch Card

In commemoration of Felix Hernandez's masterful perfect game yesterday, I decided to create this sketch card with his likeness:

David Price Sketch Card

My latest creation: a stipple drawing of Tampa Bay Rays pitching ace David Price.

HOF Sketch Card Project: Kirby Puckett

Kirby Puckett spent his entire 12-year baseball career playing with the Minnesota Twins (1984–1995), and is the franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases. A 10-time All Star, Puckett was the fourth baseball player during the 20th century to record 1,000 hits in his first five full calendar years in Major League Baseball, and was the second to record 2,000 hits during his first ten full calendar years.At the time of his retirement, his .318 career batting average was the highest by any right-handed American League batter since Joe DiMaggio. After being forced to retire at age 35 due to loss of vision in one eye from a central retinal vein occlusion, Puckett was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001, his first year of eligibility. Tragically, he would pass away on March 6, 2006, after suffering a stroke.

I completed the following sketch cards in August 2012.

I completed the following sketch card in November 2012.

10 random facts about Kirby Puckett:

• In Puckett's Major League debut against the California Angels on May 8, 1984, he went 4 for 5 with a run.
• He was the 1989 American League batting champion.
• He won the 1991 ALCS MVP, en route to leading the Twins to their second World Series title.
• In 1993, he won the Branch Rickey Award for his community service efforts.
• He won the 1996 Roberto Clemente Award for his status as a humanitarian and ambassador to the game.
• He had his jaw broken by a Dennis Martinez fastball on September 28, 1995.
• A stellar outfielder, Puckett won 6 Gold Glove Awards during his career.
• Immediately after his retirement, the Twins made him an executive vice president.
• His jersey number 34 was retired by the Twins in 1997.
• On April 12, 2010, a statue of Puckett was unveiled at the plaza of Target Field in Minneapolis; the statue represents Puckett pumping his fist while running the bases, as he did after his winning home run in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series.

Buster Posey Sketch Card

Just finished this sketch card of San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey. Done with Prismacolor pencils.

Dale Murphy Sketch Card

Decided to take out the Prismacolor pencils and create this sketch of one of my favorite players growing up, Dale Murphy. A Braves legend, Murphy finished his career with 398 homers 2 MVP award. Although he isn't enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, he makes a pretty solid case with his outstanding career.

HOF Sketch Card Project: Ted Williams

Perhaps the greatest pure hitter in the game's history, Ted Williams played his entire 22-year Major League Baseball career as the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox (1939–1942 and 1946–1960). "The Splendid Splinter" was a two-time American League MVP winner, led the league in batting six times, and won the Triple Crown twice. A nineteen-time All-Star, he had a career batting average of .344, with 521 home runs, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966. 

I completed this sketch card in August 2012.

10 random facts about Ted Williams:

• Williams recorded a hit 34% of the time, and he reached base an astounding 48 percent of the time. 
• Williams was the last player in Major League Baseball to bat over .400 in a single season (.406 in 1941). 
• Williams holds the highest career batting average of anyone with 500 or more home runs. 
• His career year was 1941, when he hit .406 with 37 HR, 120 RBI, and 135 runs scored; his .551 on base percentage set a record that stood for 61 years. 
• He won the Triple Crown in 1942 and 1947, yet was not voted MVP in either of those standout years.
• Williams' career was twice interrupted by service as a U.S. Marine Corps fighter-bomber pilot.
• Williams nearly always took the first pitch, reasoning that the ability to gauge the pitcher's "stuff" was worth conceding a first strike.
• He became the Texas Rangers' first manager in 1972, immediately after the team relocated from Washington, DC to Arlington.
• An avid sport fisherman, he hosted a television program about fishing, and he was inducted into the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame.
• On November 18, 1991, Ted Williams was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George H. W. Bush