The name of Graig Kreindler is one of the best-known and most widely-respected names in sports art. Raised in Rockland County New York Kreindler is a graduate of New York City's School of Visual Arts with a BFA in illustration and a Masters in Art Education from Lehman College in the Bronx. His work has been featured in juried art shows and museums nationwide with pieces displayed at numerous public art spaces and featured in nationally-distributed books newspapers magazines and television. His artwork has been featured on Topps baseball cards. Most recently more than 200 of Kreindler's works were commissioned and displayed as part of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum's "Black Baseball in Living Color" art exhibit. Kreindler's work has drawn raves none more glowing than that of hip hop pioneer Chuck D of Public Enemy who recently tweeted "Graig Kreindler is a time machine. He places you in a pre 1950s ballpark where color is impossible. Colorized photos 'When It Was A Game' style doesn't even come close to Kreindler. He puts you right there with the Cracker Jack and beer." One of today's most in-demand and top-selling sports artists the majority of Kreindler's work is private commissioned sale and with a waiting list more than five years long and the majority of it tucked away in private collections or museums obtaining his work is very very difficult. Perhaps the best illustrator of Kreindler's popularity is not the considerable publicity or adulation he receives but the very small number of Kreindler works that have made their way into the hobby via resale: the majority of Kreindler's work is commissioned privately by his clients and once the work is finished the owner generally keeps it. Indeed we are aware of only a handful of other Kreindler pieces to have ever made it to public auction. Since Kreindler does not make prints of his work available for sale the only way to own one is to own an original piece. Invariably due to the intense demand for his work and its limited availability there has been a remarkable appreciation in value for his original pieces. Along with many others in the hobby we have been longtime admirers of Kreindler's art due not only to his stunning ability to capture the emotion and tension of the game in the expressions of his subjects but due to his unflagging attention to detail. The artist has been known to study weather accounts and stadium maps in order to best convey the way the sunlight fell on the ballfield at the precise time a photo he's re-creating was taken; his diligence has taken him far and wide to study historical accounts and photos to more perfectly convey uniform colors the colors throughout the stadium even the tones of the advertisements scattered throughout the ballpark. Five years ago when we received a consignment of a Kreindler piece the artist actually