Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Artist Vernon Wells Jr.'s favorite card

Vernon Wells Jr. is an accomplished sports artist who did the artwork for Upper Deck in it's early years. A former pro football player in the Canadian and World Leagues, he turned to art after his football career was ended by injury. Commissioned by more players and teams than any other artist, the athlete he has painted the most is his son Vernon Wells III, star outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays. He kindly shared with me this story about this early painting of his son.

"I do have a favorite card. The Braves' David Justice checklist card from the 1992 Upper Deck set. It has my son and I among the fans doing the "chop". It is also the only original painting that the company allowed me to keep. In that painting, my son was 12 and wearing the cap of his baseball team that won the NAABC World Series."

Thanks!

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