Remembering Andy Jurinko

June 15, 2012

Artist Andy Jurinko loved baseball. He was especially enamored of players from what he considered a “Golden Era.”

He published Heart Of The Game: An Illustrated Celebration Of The American League, 1946-1960 and 2004 and his new title, Golden Boys: Baseball Portraits, 1946-1960 was published posthumously. Jurinko died of pancreatic cancer in February 2011 at the age of 71.

Tomorrow, the Bergino Baseball Clubhouse (67 East 11 Street, Manhattan) will host a special event, “Honoring the Life, Art, and Love of Andy Jurinko,” at 1 p.m.

Jay Goldberg, proprietor of the unique store that specializes in artwork, books, and custom-made baseballs, was a long-time friend of Jurinko and his widow, Pat Moore.

According to Goldberg, Jurinko had been working on the coffee table book — which consists of hundreds of head shots and larger action scenes —  for some 20 years. Towards the end of his life, he painstakingly detailed how he wanted the pages laid out, but passed away before he could complete his vision. After Jurinko died, Goldberg said he thought Golden Boys would never see the light of day. “The book was supposed be out years ago; I just assumed that it was finished,” he said.

At a memorial service held at the Clubhouse shortly after Jurinko’s death, Christopher Jennison, who wrote the text for Golden Boys, announced that indeed Jurinko’s dream would become a reality. “Chris kept the book project alive,” Goldberg said.

Pat and Andy

Golden Boys will be officially released today by Skyhorse  Publishing. Tomorrow’s event serves as a book launch and celebration of Jurinko’s dream. After consultation with Jennison and Moore, Goldberg decided “having the [program] the day before Father’s Day was a natural.” When he discussed the date with Moore, “she was kind of silent and then she said, ‘you know, the next day [Father’s Day, June 17] is Andy’s birthday,'” Goldberg said. “We both kind of got emotional; of all days, that’s the day we picked. It’s kind of like this whole thing was meant to be.”

Jurinko’s book features Major Leaguers from the years of his fandom. “He thought that was the Golden Age,” Goldberg said. “Those are the years of his massive passion for baseball and players and he wanted to document [them].”

Goldberg expects a full house for the event, where Golden Boys the book will be for sale. “Even if I didn’t know Andy, I would love to have this book,” said Goldberg, who will keep a supply on hand for those who can’t make the Saturday program.

For more information, call the Bergino Baseball Clubhouse at 212-226-7150.

 

 

 

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