Clarke Riedy - Baseball, A Family Tradition

 Phoenix

Clarke Riedy - Baseball, A Family Tradition

401 E Jefferson St, Phoenix

Chase Field looms large over the corner of E. Jefferson St. and 7th St., in downtown Phoenix, an edifice to America’s game, combined with the money, power and business of professional sports.

Right off the southwest corner of the intersection, under the shadow of the stadium, you will find Clarke Riedy’s Baseball, A Family Tradition.  The contrast could not be more striking.  The bronze sculpture presents four life-size people interacting in a personal way, compared to the larger-than-life players on the professional field, viewed from a distance by fans in the seats.  Though the figures are in modern day dress, the feel is of a different era when relationships meant more than a transactional interaction.

Riedy gives us a nondescript Diamondbacks player giving an autograph to a young boy, while his mother and sister look on.  The sister has a notebook in her hand, patiently ready to ask for an autograph also, while she gazes in awe at the player.  The mother’s eyes are on her daughter, making sure she is engaged in this experience as much as the son is.  But the focus of the boy and the ballplayer is what gives power to this sculpture.  The player could just sign the autograph and head back to the locker room, but instead he makes eye contact with the boy, making a connection that the boy will always remember.  We anticipate that the sister will receive the same singular focus.  It is a great example of taking advantage of each moment in our lives.  

Riedy also does a great job with the spacing of the family around the mother.  She has a hand on each of her children, connecting the family unit together.  We also see a nice line from player to boy to mother to sister.  This helps tell the story of the excitement of the moment and how the mother has helped to coordinate this event for both children, even though it may mean different things to each child.  The boy is dressed up in his baseball uniform to go to the park.  He is an obvious fan.  The girl has on a casual outfit with sandals.  She may be a baseball fan, a fan of celebrity, or a fan of her older sibling, wanting to do the same things her big brother does.  Either way, her face shows that she is very happy to meet this ballplayer.  These details demonstrate how an artist tells their specific story through the many decisions they make that lead to the finished work.

This sculpture will certainly be a hit with baseball fans, but it also has appeal beyond the sport.  It is presented in a small, fenced in grassy area, which makes close viewing difficult, but you can get a decent view from the sidewalk.

While downtown, stop by the Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza, located to the west on Washington St., to see Riedy’s El Pasaje (The Passage), pictured below.  You can read about El Pasaje (The Passage) at Greater Phoenix Public Art.

Last verified 11/2020.