Image Gallery

Sandy Koufax - 1965 World Series, Minnesota, 10/14/65

There are only so many angles that a photographer can capture from the press box. Iooss created this non-sequential series of images to represent what he calls Koufax’s “perfect motion.” The central image is also featured in this exhibition.

Ted Williams, Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, N.Y.

Williams spent his entire career as a left fielder for the Boston Red Sox. This photograph was taken during Williams’ last year with the team. Iooss was 17 years old.

Willie Mays - Philadelphia, PA 8/62

This iconic image shows Willie Mays, eyes locked on the ball, returning east to Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia as a San Francisco rather than a New York Giant. The Giants went on to capture the National League pennant in 1962, finally falling to the Yankees in game seven of the World Series. Of Mays, Iooss simply says, “Willie exuded joy.”

"Sudden" Sam McDowell during Yankees Spring Training, Bradenton, Florida, 3/6/1974 (McKecknie Field)

The press ate lunch in the long, white building in the background. Iooss came outside and got this shot while most of the journalists and photographers were still chatting inside.

Sandy Koufax - 1965 World Series Game 7, L.A at Minnesota, 10/14/65

“He was the best. The best pitcher I ever saw, maybe the best pitcher anyone ever saw or will see.” –wi

Hank Aaron, pre-game in Montreal, 1969

While in pursuit of the home run record held by Babe Ruth (714), Aaron received thousands of letters daily. Some were congratulatory, but many were angry that an African American was poised to eclipse Ruth and Break baseball’s most hallowed record. Iooss was assigned to follow Hank Aaron for a portion of the 1969 season. Usually serious of expression during this intense period of his career, Aaron burst into a genuine, hearty laugh as the legendary Satchel Paige entered the locker room.

Tony Scott and Garry Templeton, Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA

The stadium had recently been painted its now characteristic "Dodger Blue." Iooss had a shot in mind, but he needed the visiting team’s uniforms to cooperate. After a couple of near misses, the Cardinals’ away uniforms finally hit the mark.

Cal Ripken, Jr. Signing Autographs, Baltimore, 1995

Iooss took this pre-game photograph of Cal Ripken Jr. on the day that he broke the record for consecutive games played. Lou Gehrig previously held this record with 2,130 consecutive games. Ripken’s streak would finally end in 1998 at 2,632, a record that still holds.

Joe DiMaggio Talks to Ira Berkow at the Old Timer's Game, Yankee Stadium

“Just the way he sat at his locker there, he had the mystique. You knew he was a star." –wi

Yogi Berra and Whitey Ford, Tampa, Florida, March 2001

“This was a story in Sports Illustrated about Hall of Fame baseball players who were getting up in age. We did Warren Spahn, Willie Mays, Ernie Banks, Bob Feller among others. I shot 8x10 sepia Polaroids. I got Whitey Ford and Yogi Berra to pose during spring training. I had never met Whitey before, but I'd worked with Yogi a few times, and he hated posing. He couldn't sit still. He was like a butterfly; whenever you got next to him he'd move away. I love this picture. For two guys in their 70s, they look cute; there was a little-boy quality to them. A couple of years went by, and I was at spring training again. I hadn't seen Yogi or Whitey since we'd taken the picture. I said to Yogi, "Walter Iooss, remember, I took that picture of you…." And he said, "Hey Whitey, here's the guy who took that horrible picture of us." Whitey came over and said, "Oh, my family hated that picture. Said you made me look like a little old guy." I thought they were putting me on. I said, "Are you kidding me? I love that picture." Whitey said, "Love it? We hate that picture." You can't win all the time.” –wi

Stickball, Cuba, 1999

“The best light in Cuba is reflected off these faded pastel toned walls. It might be amber, it might be pink. Even with black-and white film, it’s perfect. The light looks like somebody set it up in a studio.” Iooss loves photographing kids playing sports, you can hear it in his words: “The beauty of the game is seen when you’re a child—when the ball is thrown to you, nothing else exists in the world.”

Havana, Cuba, March 1998

“There's a famous picture taken in the 1950s of Willie Mays playing stickball in Harlem. I played a lot of stickball growing up and always loved it. I wanted to replicate the Mays photo in Cuba because baseball is the national sport there. It's everywhere. Cuban children play ball in the streets like kids in U.S. cities used to do. It was my last Saturday on this trip and I was slowly weaving through the streets of old Havana, looking for kids playing ball, when I came upon this corner, La Esquina. If you study the picture, you see that every eye, not just the kids' but even the dog's, is on that taped ball. It's the decisive moment, and there's no way to anticipate when you're going to get it.” –wi