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Saturday Evening Post Cover: April 23, 1949
Size of Original: 43”W X 41”H
Location of Original: National Baseball Hall of Fame
In keeping with Rockwell’s quest for accuracy, this painting represents actual teams and people who would be there. The game is between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Pittsburgh Pirates in Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. The umpires are left to right, Larry Goetz, John "Beans" Reardon and Lou Jorda. The Pirates outfielders in the background are Johnny Hopp, Ralph Kiner and Fred “Dixie” Walker. The smiling Brooklyn manager is Clyde Sukeforth and the unsmiling Pittsburgh manager is Billy Meyer.
The baseball situation is that if a game is called because of rain after 5 innings then the result is official and the leading team at the time wins. However the teams must have the same number of innings so because the away team Pittsburgh is leading before the Brooklyn half of the 6th inning is completed it will not be an official result if the game is called now.
Because the Pittsburgh manager looks unhappy it seems that the game will be called for rain and be unofficial.
Another interpretation is that Brooklyn has 2 out with no one on so their chances of scoring this inning are slim. The impending rain is stopping so that the game will continue giving Brooklyn a chance. The Pittsburgh manager is unhappy because the rain is stopping thus giving Brooklyn a chance for further play. We can’t see the scoreboard so we don’t know the situation for this inning. However things seem to be in Brooklyn’s favor because of their manager being happy even though being down a run.
Rockwell delighted in putting this kind of thought provoking double entendre in his paintings giving them unclear or double meanings.
Rockwell was understandably annoyed to learn that the Saturday Evening Post editor had this painting altered without Rockwell’s permission. In Rockwell’s version the dark clouds went across the entire sky and the Pittsburgh uniforms were lighter. Artist William Rapp darkened the uniforms and cleared the storm clouds in the upper right. 3 other paintings were also altered.
After Rockwell complained, the Post policy was changed so that work would be returned to Rockwell if any alterations or changes were necessary.