Baseball. It’s long been called the American pastime. There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly cut grass, the crack of bat striking ball, and the roar of the home crowd on a warm summer evening. Compared with other major sports, baseball moves at a more relaxed pace. There is time to sit back and enjoy a chat with your companions while taking in the game.

After the pandemic in 2020 kept fans out of ballparks, it was enjoyable to get back out to see ballgames in 2021 when the stands were once again filled with people. We are fortunate to have a ballpark as beautiful as Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. The Royals began playing here in 1972 and it’s hard to believe that this park is now 50 years old. It’s a testament to the original design, and subsequent remodeling, that it remains a very contemporary-feeling, functional, and fan-friendly environment. There is talk of a new downtown stadium being built to replace it in the next decade or so. While it’s exciting to contemplate, if it happens, this old yard will have to give way to generations of memories.

This piece is based on several photographs that I took at a ballgame in 2021, along with some other images I used to help complete the setting. Although the skies threatened rain early in the evening, they were beginning to clear as dusk settled in. I found the backdrop of some of the darker clouds against the stadium lights created a compelling contrast. I also like the way the setting sun reflected off the gold of the scoreboard crown.

I think the angle of this piece is one of the interesting elements, because it captures the feel of being at the ballgame from the fan’s perspective. The horizontal format of the painting also gives it something of a panorama effect, placing less focus on any specific element, but emphasizing the overall feel of the interaction with other fans in the stands and the action on the field.

“We’ll root-root-root for the home team. If they don’t win, it’s a shame. For it’s one, two, three strikes you’re out at the old ball game.”

The original painting is 24” tall by 48” wide on a cradled birch panel with a 2.5” natural maple floating custom-built frame. Free shipping in the U.S.

Limited edition prints are available here:

Take Me Out to the K - prints