This gallery contains paintings of Jim "Mudcat" Grant's Black Aces: fifteen players, ranging from Don Newcombe in 1951 to Dave Stewart in 1987, who won 20 games in the major leagues. Since then, there have been others: David Price, Dontrelle Willis, and C.C. Sabathia, but for the moment the gallery will stick with the pitchers on Mudcat's list. (He published the book in 2006, so those last three performances postdate his writing.) Here are the pitchers, by order of their first 20-win season. It's a notable group, including two Hall of Famers.
As I look at these pitchers, I'm struck by two things: firstly, that the Oakland Athletics claim no fewer than four of the twelve pitchers. Secondly, I made sure to try several different painting styles with these cards, and I'm pleased with the results, from the movement of the Don Newcombe card to the iconography of the Jenkins card. I hope you enjoy them as well.
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| Don Newcombe, Brooklyn Dodgers, Topps 1957 20-9 in 1951 (First Black pitcher to win 20 games in the major leagues) Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Jim "Mudcat" Grant, Oakland Athletics Topps 1972 21-7 in 1965 (First Black pitcher to win 20 games in the American League) |
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| Bob Gibson, St. Louis Cardinals, Topps 1965 (reprint) 20-12 in 1965 Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
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| Al Downing, Los Angeles Dodgers, Topps 1972 20-9 in 1971 |
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| Vida Blue, Oakland Athletics Topps 1974 24-8 in 1971 |
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| Mike Norris, Oakland Athletics Topps 1981 22-9 in 1980 |
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| Dwight Gooden, New York Mets 1987 Topps 24-4 in 1985 |
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| Dave Stewart, Oakland Athletics Topps 1987 20-13 in 1987 |
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