George Foster, New York Mets

This spirited caricature of George Foster marks his highly anticipated arrival to the New York Mets in the early 1980s, part of the Daily News Sports All Stars collectible series. Artist Bruce Stark captures Foster in a powerful batting stance, his muscular frame and signature mustache rendered with playful exaggeration. The clever visual conceit of a shipping crate at Foster's feet, labeled from the Reds and addressed to Shea Stadium, tells the story of one of baseball's biggest trades of the era. Foster had been a cornerstone of Cincinnati's legendary Big Red Machine, a feared power hitter who terrorized National League pitching throughout the late 1970s. His acquisition represented the Mets' ambitious attempt to return to contention after years in the wilderness. Stark's caricature perfectly balances reverence for Foster's fearsome reputation with the lighthearted spirit of newspaper sports illustration. A charming piece of New York sports ephemera that captures a moment of hope and anticipation for Mets fans, rendered in Stark's distinctive style that made the Daily News Sports All Stars series beloved collectibles of the period. Size: 21.5" x 14.0" Artist: Bruce Stark Condition: Very Good, Age-appropriate wear. Paper toning in accordance with the print's age. Marks/stains as per photo. Wear around the edges and minor paper loss might be present in some prints. Some illustrations may have writing or images on verso. Please refer to each print's image to get a better understanding of the condition.