Uncategorized Bill Gallo 1922-2011

Bill Gallo 1922-2011

11 May, 201111 May, 2011 Drew LittonDrew Litton 5 Comments
Uncategorized

Bill Gallo owned New York. At least the heart of it. He was a legend in the once vibrant field of sports cartooning. He left his lasting mark on a sports hungry city in thousands of cartoons, done  thousands of different ways about thousands of  elite athletes, coaches, franchises and fans. To say he will be missed is an understatement. He closes a chapter in history. He was the last daily sports cartoonist publishing in an American newspaper. Yes, we still have Tank McNamara and In the Bleachers, (thankfully) but the era of the full-time staff sports cartoonist is over.

I had the pleasure of meeting Bill Gallo at a National Cartoonist Society convention in Toronto in the 90’s. I was up for the award for best sports cartoonist that year along with Gallo and Eddie Germano I think. I had, of course, a snowball’s chance in hell of actually winning the category because Gallo’s name had been permanently etched on the thing for like 20 years running. He told me I would win it. I looked at him as if he had lost his mind. He smiled and said kindly “just not this year.” He was right. Germano took home the award that year. The following year, however, Gallo’s prediction came true, they gave the award to me, right after they found a way to etch a different name over Gallo on the award. They Put an L and an I over the G and the A, crossed the two L’s to make them into two T’s and added an N on the end. And I won my one and only award in the sports cartoon category, I’m convinced, only because Gallo told them he had run out of wall space. The NCS killed the sports cartoon division award for the following year which I technically means I killed the entire genre of sports cartooning previously kept very much alive by the humble but happy and enormously talented, Bill Gallo.

I will always consider meeting Bill Gallo one of the greatest highlights of my career and honors of my career. He was a genuine American hero, dining with Mantle and Maris and Namath and all of the sports icons of the day. And he stood tall is stature, above them all.

 

Here are some story links for you:

From the Wall Street Journal:

http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2011/05/11/with-cartoonists-death-a-newspaper-tradition-fades/

From the New York Daily News:

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2011/05/08/2011-05-08_gallo_earns_ellis_award.html?r=sports

Follow Me
Share

5 thoughts on “Bill Gallo 1922-2011”

  1. What great memories, even if you did kill an award. Not everyone gets to meet the people they admire and appreciate. He must have had some great stories to tell! He saw many eras of sports and change. Can’t wait to take a moment and check out his artistry.

  3. What a heartfelt, sincere tribute to someone you held in such high regard. I’ve never read a paper east of the Twin Cities – other than an occasional article over the past few years. I took the time over the past couple of weeks, to look at Bill Gallo’s work. What he did, what he meant to all who followed his work over the last seven decades is phenomenal.

    That being said, and with all due respect to Mr. Gallo and his memory – you are our Bill Gallo. What he did on the east coast, you have done for Colorado and the other venues where your work has been shown. You are such an amazing talent, and to have won the NCS award for sports cartooning is a well-deserved recognition. It is sad and disheartening, that the NCS foolishly, and stupidly, removed the category from its list of awards. You didn’t “kill” the genre of sports cartooning – they did, along with the newsprint media moguls. We (those who love and support your creative genius) need to find a way to bring it back, so that others can see the incredible work you do.

    Rest in peace, Mr. Gallo. The sports cartooning torch is still lit – it’s just a little dim tonight.

    Peg

  4. Good Morning from Omaha,

    I am afraid that we are all destined for the archives….It weird how you read the paper and as you turn a page it becomes history. THe obits, the editorials even the cartoons become history as fast as you turn the page some to be remembered, some to be forgotten. We can’t possibly remember it all, although we try to remember what was important in the day, and its our choice what we choose to remember.

    A funny line from a tv show, a story in the paper about a politician, an obit of a friend…even a editorial cartoon. Drew creates some of those memories with his work either at RMN or here on the web. And while Drew may not live forever, and none of us will, he is lucky that his work will always be able to be found here on the internet and the spirit he brings to his art will continue. In effect Drew is building a monument to his and others and the art of sports cartooning right before our eyes. Be bold and take that first step into forever

    I just hope Drew doesn’t die today or I will be a suspect…..

    Strive for excellence, nothing but your best.

    Gene

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts