Stevan Dohanos drew a remarkable 123 covers for the Saturday Evening Post.
Living in Westport, he drew inspiration from many local scenes.
And he used many Westport residents as models.
Millions of Americans enjoyed this Saturday Evening Post cover on July 20, 1946 — almost 79 years ago, to the day. It was almost certainly inspired by — and drawn in — Westport:
Though a few of the boys wear uniforms, they are not Westport Little Leaguers. The organization did not begin here until 1954.
Do you recognize the house? It looks like it could be on Riverside Avenue, Imperial Avenue, Compo Road South — or many other places in town.
And — a longer stretch — does anyone know any of the kids?
If you’ve got any insights into the back story of this work called “Star Pitcher,” click “Comments” below.
Play ball!
(Friday Flashback is one of “06880”‘s many regular features. If you enjoy this — or anything else on our website — please consider a tax-deductible contribution. Just click here. Thank you!)
It’s a very charming picture. Eight boys waiting. I guess every kid got a chance at bat.
I know my Uncle Jim Tormey was on the cover coming out of the movies in 1947/48. He was a fourth grader at Bedford Elementary and loved baseball, but I never heard about this cover.
What a great highlight! Stevan Dohanos’ Star Pitcher was featured on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post, July 20, 1946, and an offset lithograph of this work is now on view at the Westport Center for Senior Activities Cafe!
To learn more about this artwork, and many more, please join Jilda Manikas, Westport Public Art Collections, on Monday, July 21, 11-11:30am at the Westport Center for Senior Activities.
All of the children shown here are thought to be Westporters. Seated on the curb, left to right are Dick Baker, Pat Baker, Bryce Borrows, Joseph Izzo, unknown, Chris Ray, Tom Feeney and Harvey Root. The star pitcher Joseph D’Aiuto is mowing.
Can you help us to learn more about these boys?
Wow! What a treasure trove of information — and what a grat coincidence about Monday’s Senior Center event.
Thank you, Anne!
Bruce Baker, Staples class of 1965, passed away, but could be related to one of the Bakers in the picture . D”Aiuto was a name of a Westport police officer.I knew two Izzos who graduated from Staples around 1959 1960 era. ( Butch was one.) I recognize names, but the photo is blurry.
I believe Joseph Izzo is my brother who graduated from
Staples in 1953 and would have been 12 in 1946.
That house has a 1905 look too.
I think that is Jeb Backus on the left ;0
Working at Max’s Art Supplies since 1985 gave me a great opportunity to meet and really get to know very well many artists from, Stevan Dohanos, Bernie Fuchs, Robert Heindel, and the list goes on and on. But, it was Stevan Dohanos who stood out. When he came in he always came up to me and say, Hi friend! When I was on the Society of Illustrators picture hanging committee in 1986 under illustrator Bob Crofut, we hung the Stevan Dohanos Retrospective show. What an honor to hang that show and have him right next to us letting us know which pieces that he wanted next to each other. After he passed away, his daughter came in and gave me a gift of an original Saturday Evening Post cover that Stevan had done which is of a framer at Walkers Frame Shop on Main Street, with a woman who is very indecisive on which frame she wanted. I ended up framing that with four different frames that all had to work with the piece by itself but also had to work all together! That cover is on display at the picture framing shop that I manager right here in Westport.
Being the framer for the Westport Public Art Collection lets me relive the memories I had with the artists in town, and Stevan Dohanos.
I will always have the fondest memories of Stevan Dohanos, and all of the artists that I knew so well.
Danny,
The only thing I can say is that there are 8 boys dressed and ready to play. Obviously, the star pitcher is cutting the grass while some of the 8 are waiting with great disdain and the others are just trying to be patient. The house is so close to the designs of the houses on South Compo. So based on the year could it be a Gault, or a Lauterbach cutting the grass??
Fun stuff!! Thanks!!
Tom