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Hello, my name is Paul Amelio and I'm a sports enthusiast influenced by classic artists ranging from George Bellows and LeRoy Neiman, I am passionate about exploring mixed media techniques that brings out the true essence of specific personality while fulfilling my insatiable appetite to discover techniques that brings out the best in me by yielding towards my two greatest passions—Art and Sports but not necessarily in that order.
Past, Present or Future, the 'Legends' that I paint are the ones I would have loved to have met (or would loved to have met). I try to learn as much as I can about each of the stars that I paint. Their personality and likeness is what I try to capture and by the time the piece is complete, I feel as though I have met each one of these great athletes that I paint.
Please feel free to reach out and share your thoughts. If you have an interest in Giclees or originals, send us a note. If there is a piece that you want to request, commissioned work can be accomodated.
THE SHOT HEARD AROUND THE WORLD: I had the unique privilege to meet Ralph Branca and Bobby Thompson where their historic encounter In 1951, where the then Brooklyn Dodgers played a one game playoff with the New York Giants to determine which team would play the mighty New York Yankees in the World Series. Ralph Branca of The Dodgers pitched to Bobby Thompson of the Giants at the bottom of the ninth and Bobby clubbed it for a game winning home run. The two paintings featured are large-scale versions of the 1951 baseball cards of the two great players who were forever joined together in history on that fateful day; at the Polo Grounds in New York City on October 3, 1951. It was coined, 'The Shot Heard Around The World'— Ralph Branca was a humble man, I recall that moment of truth that he transparently share, "I don't know what I am doing here, he hit a home run off my pitch where I am associated with a moment that is not favorable towards me but because of the historic moment in history, here I am, having to relive a pitch that sent us packing and the Giants to the world series."
A moment that would live in infamy.
Ralph Branca
30X40 Original, mixed medium painting of the 1951 baseball card of Ralph Branca. The six-feet-three, 220-pound right-hander, Brooklyn Dodger, was involved in two of the biggest moments in baseball history. One was the integration of baseball by Jackie Robinson in 1947, and the other was as the man who threw the pitch hit for a home run by Bobby Thomson that won the 1951 National League pennant for the New York Giants. In 1947 the twenty-one-year-old Branca became the second youngest National Leaguer to win twenty games. One of a collection of original works of art, this painting was completed on June 19, 2006. Ralph signed the original painting and the giclee replicas during a charity event where both he and pitcher Ralph Branca were present on August 7, 2006.
Bobby Thomson
30X40 Original Mixed Medium Painting of Bobby Thomson's 1951 baseball card. The "Flying Scot," whose swing delivered perhaps the most famous home run in Major League history with the "Shot Heard 'Round the World," and one of a collection of original works of art, this painting was completed on May 29, 2006. Bobby signed the original painting and the giclee replicas during a charity event where both he and pitcher Ralph Branca were present on August 7, 2006.
Honus Wagner
30X40 Mixed media painting on canvas of a T206 Honus Wagner collector card of The most coveted baseball card of all-time proved its worth once again early Saturday morning, as the 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner card sold for $2.1 million in an online auction. The price paid for the rare card by an unknown buyer becomes the highest price paid for a card in a public sale, eclipsing the $1.6 million price paid for the same card in 2008. One of a collection of original works of art, this painting was completed on June 20, 2005.
Wilt Chamberlain
30X40 Mixed media painting on canvas of the 1970 collectors card of Wilton Norman “Wilt” Chamberlain (1936-1999) is the only player in NBA history to score more than 100 points in a single game or average 40 and 50 points a game for an entire season. At 6’11” as a high school freshman, Wilt earned the nicknames that stuck with him throughout his career such as Wilt the Stilt, Goliath and the Big Dipper, because he had to dip his head when walking through doorways. One of a collection of original works of art, this painting was completed on July 25, 2005.
Dave DeBusschere
30X40 Original Mixed Media Painted on canvas of Lou Gehrig's New York Yankees 1934 Goudey #37 baseball card. On July 4, 1939, Lou Gehrig delivered what is known as sports' most famous speech. Suffering from ALS, he died at the age of 37. Gehrig has and continues to be an inspiration, representing fortitude, humility and courage to the tens of thousands who are living with Lou Gehrig's Disease. One of a collection of original works of art, this painting was completed on May 1, 2006.
30X40 Mixed Media Painting on canvas of a 1969 collector card of David Albert “Dave” DeBusschere (1940-2003) who was a Detroit native who played for the University of Detroit and was taken as a territorial pick in the 1962 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. Playing every game in the rookie season, he compiled 1,018 points, 694 total rebounds and 207 assists and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. One of a collection of original works of art, this painting was completed on June 10, 2005.
Lou Gehrig
Dave DeBusschere
30X40 Mixed Media Painting on canvas of a 1969 collector card of David Albert “Dave” DeBusschere (1940-2003) who was a Detroit native who played for the University of Detroit and was taken as a territorial pick in the 1962 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. Playing every game in the rookie season, he compiled 1,018 points, 694 total rebounds and 207 assists and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. One of a collection of original works of art, this painting was completed on June 10, 2005.
Joe DiMagg
30X40 Mixed Media Painting on canvas of a 1969 collector card of David Albert “Dave” DeBusschere (1940-2003) who was a Detroit native who played for the University of Detroit and was taken as a territorial pick in the 1962 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. Playing every game in the rookie season, he compiled 1,018 points, 694 total rebounds and 207 assists and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. One of a collection of original works of art, this painting was completed on June 10, 2005.
Ralph Branca
30X40 Original, mixed medium painting of the 1951 baseball card of Ralph Branca. The six-feet-three, 220-pound right-hander, Brooklyn Dodger, was involved in two of the biggest moments in baseball history. One was the integration of baseball by Jackie Robinson in 1947, and the other was as the man who threw the pitch hit for a home run by Bobby Thomson that won the 1951 National League pennant for the New York Giants. In 1947 the twenty-one-year-old Branca became the second youngest National Leaguer to win twenty games.
Dwight Gooden
30X40 Mixed Media Painting on canvas of Dwight Gooden. In 1982, he was a NY Met 1st round draft pick but spent two years in the minors before debuting as a professional at age 19. Best known for his 98 MPH pitch and his sweeping curveball, most people called him “Doc.” Gooden had numerous accomplishments, being the youngest player in an All-Star game, setting the MLB record for strikeouts in nine innings, being Rookie of the Year, and leading MLB with 24 wins and 268 strikeouts. He was also the youngest recipient in baseball’s history to receive the Cy Young Award, just 1 of 12 African American pitchers to win 20 games, and at 21, he was the youngest pitcher to start an All-Star game. A 2014 Collection Dwight signed the original canvas painting and as well as 50 giclee limited edition replicas (reduced in size of the original) completed September 25, 2014.
Here I am back on August 7th 2006 with the Great Bobby Thomson who hit the epic home run that became known as 'The shot heard around the world' endures as perhaps the most dramatic play in baseball history, a mega conclusion to the Giants' late-summer comeback and a moment that has since resonated in popular culture. It was the bottom of the ninth inning in the third game of a three-game playoff; the New York Giants against the Brooklyn Dodgers' and Ralph Branca at the Polo Grounds on Oct. 3, 1951, to climax baseball's most memorable pennant drive. Giants radio announcer Russ Hodges, Thomson’s homer, memorably described it in a play-by-play call. The Giants were down by two runs and the count was no balls and one strike.
Branca, had just come into the game, delivered a high fastball and Thomson smacked it into baseball history. Thomson's three-run homer propelled the Giants to a 5-4 victory, he and Branca became bonded as baseball's ultimate hero and goat. In 1999, the United States Postal Service issued a stamp commemorating Thomson's drive, and Don DeLillo used the baseball he hit as a relic of memory in the acclaimed 1997 novel "Underworld." I remember this man like it was just yesterday—a truly humble man who was perhaps wondering why all the fuss. He had Parkinson's disease and I thought how special it was to have this opportunity to meet him and be a live witness to his signing of my paintings. It was a proud moment for me. Sadly, just four years later Mr. Thomson died on Aug. 16, 2010 at his home in Savannah, Ga. at the age of 86.
Ralph Branca held my hand during this moment as he stood next to his 30X40 likeness of his 1951 baseball card that I painted of him. He was a gentle giant who could have been anybody's grandfather. I remember telling him how great it was to meet him and he responded, "why? I lost the game! I'm only here because of Bobby—he hit the ball off of my lousy pitch." I smiled and thought, well... he was right I guess but the moment made both him and Bobby infamous icons of one of Americas greatest sports and one of the most unforgettable moments in American history.
The miracle of Coogan's Bluff
Slowest pitch in Baseball to reach catcher?
30mph, thrown at 45-deg angle.
Any slower at any other angle hits ground.
THE CHOPS
TO GROW YOUR
BRAND
