40 Stars of the Negro Major Baseball League are Featured in Paintings at CHS Field in St. Paul, Minnesota
40 Stars of the Negro Major Baseball League (including Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Monte Irvin and 37 others) are featured in paintings at CHS Field, downtown St. Paul, home of the St. Paul Saints baseball team.
ST. PAUL, Minn., June 25, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Rachel Wacker, St. Paul Saints Community Arts Coordinator has curated an utterly unique exhibition of some of the most beautiful and exquisite paintings of the Negro Major League baseball stars ever seen or displayed, anywhere. This is the first time the paintings have ever been seen, publicly. "To a person, the staff and players think the show is absolutely amazing," commented Ms. Wacker.
The exhibit will run at CHS field through July 18, 2019.
"This exhibit is a spectacular display of American History in the heart of downtown St. Paul. I applaud the Saint Paul Saints for once again giving our residents and all of Minnesota something to be extremely proud of." Melvin Carter, Mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota
"When I was growing up, I idolized many of these players. This gorgeous exhibit is like taking a walk down memory lane and visiting old friends." Tony Olivia, Twins Player and Baseball Superstar
"Absolutely stunning. A phenomenal and realistic exhibit and tribute to Black History and some of its finest heroes that everyone must see." Steve Winfield, baseball and softball trainer, and coach
"The paintings shine a bright light on many of the unsung heroes of America's pastime. It is a marvelous tribute to anyone who loves baseball and its full History." Frank White, acclaimed baseball historian
"The presentation is absolutely breathtaking. The images are so life-like, I catch myself wanting to strike up a conversation with them." Darrin Rosha, Attorney and University of Minnesota Regent
The collection includes the likes of: Newt Allen, John Beckwith, James Bell, Oscar Charleston, Ray Dandridge, Leon Day, Elwood DeMoss, Martin Dihigo, Larry Doby, Andrew Foster, William Foster, Josh Gibson, William Greenlee, Monte Irvin, Sam Jethroe, William Johnson, Walter Leonard, John Henry Lloyd, Dick Lundy, Raleigh Mackey, Effa Manley, Jose Mendez, John O'Neil, Leroy Paige, Bruce Petway, Cumberland Posey, Ted Radcliffe, Dick Redding, Wilber Rogan, Louis Santop, Hilton Smith, Norman Stearns, George Suttles, Ben Taylor, Cristobal Torriente, Quincy Trouppe, Willie Wells, Sol White, J.L. Wilkinson, Joe Williams, and Ernest Wilson.
"I am very pleased with how the works have turned out. It was our original goal to bring these little-celebrated yet exceptional stars to life and to tell their fascinating stories to all, far and wide. We have also commissioned noted author and historian Nel Yomtov to write a detailed biography that accompanies and enriches every painting. I hope everyone gets a chance to enjoy this extraordinary exhibition of professional baseball stars and American heroes," said artist Charles E. Crutchfield III, M.D.
There has been extreme interest in the collection, and the number of paintings in the exhibit may expand from 40 to include 125 of the Negro Major League Baseball Stars. The aspiration and design are to have the exhibition travel to select sites around the United States, including the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, MO, The Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference, and the Jackie Robinson Museum in New York.
About the Artists
Charles E. Crutchfield III, MD, is a graduate of the Mayo Clinic Medical School and a Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the University of Minnesota Medical School. He was awarded the "Fay Vincent Most Valuable Partner (MVP) Award" by the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) for significant contributions having an impact on recognizing the Negro Leagues and its impact on the socialization of American culture. NBC News' TheGrio.com also recognized Dr. Crutchfield as one of the "Top 100 Newsmakers Making History in the United States." Dr. Crutchfield is the team dermatologist for several professional sports teams in Minnesota including the Twins, Vikings, Wild, and Timberwolves. Dr. Crutchfield is an inventor, artist, philanthropist, educator, publisher, entrepreneur, author, newspaper columnist, baseball enthusiast, and physician. His paintings are compilation works with Pham Dai Nguyen of Viet Nam. Dr. Crutchfield works with Mr. Nguyen very much like artist Damien Hirst and his associates. Dr. Crutchfield develops the concepts and direction of the works, and Mr. Nguyen executes the fine details of the paintings. They both readily admit that none of the works could be completed without the participation of both. It is a genuine team effort. Mr. Nguyen lives in Viet Nam and is very private. They have developed a strong creative partnership over the years, creating over 600 paints covering a wide variety of topics, including 125 paintings of Stars of the Negro Baseball Major Leagues. Some of the paintings can be viewed at CrutchfieldCardCompany.com.
SOURCE Crutchfield Dermatology
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