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"Play by Play" - LA's History Told in Sports
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3235 Reads
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 Beneath the sheen of sweat and majesty overlaying our memories of Los Angeles sports heroes lies something more mortal and frail: They're all just average joes gifted with something greater, with explosive grace and gutfelt drive that made them somehow more important than us, and deserving of our applause.
You can see it in young Lew Alcindor's jump shot, in Billie Jean King's smash, Jack Dempsey's grimace (at right here, working the speed bag), and in dozens more extraordinary sports photos culled from the L.A. Public Library's 2.7-million-image newspaper photo archives for Play by Play, an upcoming exhibit:
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Veteran Los Angeles sportswriter (and good friend of mine) David Davis spent the better part of three years sifting through thousands of images to pull together the exhibit, which goes on display Oct. 16: Through images, many of which have not been seen by the public in over a century, the exhibit reveals not only the diverse culture of sports in Los Angeles, but also the central role that sports play in the city's history.
The exhibition illuminates Los Angeles' sports landscape through action and personality photographs of a broad range of athletes and sports personalities including: Marcus Allen, Henry Armstrong, Arthur Ashe, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Buster Crabbe, Al Davis, Jack Dempsey, Janet Evans, Lisa Fernandez, Peggy Fleming, Pancho Gonzales, Wayne Gretzky, Chick Hearn, Rafer Johnson, Billie Jean King, Sandy Koufax, Tommy Lasorda, Lisa Leslie, Carl Lewis, John McKay, Pete Rozelle, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Vin Scully, Bill Shoemaker, Seabiscuit, Peter Ueberroth, Fernando Valenzuela, Jerry West and John Wooden.
Other sports moments caught by the camera include gymnast Mary Lou Retton competing on the balance beam in the 1984 Olympic Games; Barney Oldfield racing his front-drive Christie against a Curtis bi-plane in 1913 at the old Ascot track; Marcus Allen leaping over a defensive back during a 1981 USC versus UCLA game; and Kirk Gibson as he rounded a base after his famous home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.
Los Angeles history is rife with memorable sports moments. The city has hosted seven Super Bowls – including the first Super Bowl in 1967– and two Summer Olympic Games. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Angels have played 10 World Series, and the world's greatest soccer players have gathered for three World Cup tournaments--all in Los Angeles.
Historic venues of the greater Los Angeles area are also displayed including: Santa Monica's “Muscle Beach,” the birthplace of the modern-day fitness movement; the Rose Bowl, Coliseum, Olympic Auditorium, Forum, Sports Arena, Pauley Pavilion, Riviera Country Club, and Santa Anita Park, have played host to countless fans and visitors. I've watched Dave filter through these, and I can assure you, there are some terrific sports photos here, but there is something deeper - some are artistically gorgeous, and some are transcendant of history - they show us OJ before he fled on camera, Magic before he reinvented himself, Chick Hearn before he left us.
I'm excited to see the final product, which Angel City Press is publishing as a book. Among my personal favorites, Fernando Valenzuela's wedding photo, and young Cassius Clay at a weigh-in. Check it out when it opens.
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| Posted by: mack_reed on Sunday, September 26, 2004 - 09:08 PM
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