As far as baseball images go, John Iacano’s 1972 picture of Dick Allen ranks among the most iconic: A cigarette hangs loosely from Allen’s mouth, and he casually juggles three baseballs as he walks through the White Sox dugout. It was a spontaneous moment, and Iacano lifted his camera to capture the scene. Later he would recall the moment, thinking “Holy crap, this is perfect.” And so, baseball’s answer to American Gothic was printed on a Sports Illustrated’s cover.
I’m really excited to bring John Iacano’s image to life in a different medium. Colorful characters like Dick Allen are a joy to draw because their strong personalities shine through in everything they do.