The 5XÉçÇø Museum is displaying a rare LeRoy Neiman illustration capturing Kent State alumnus and former New York Yankees captain Thurman Munson at the height of his career.
The piece, on loan from the LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation, depicts Munson alongside teammate Reggie Jackson at the 1978 World Series. The illustration is part of "LeRoy Neiman: A Keen Observer of Style," now open at the 5XÉçÇø Museum.
The illustration is remarkable for its complexity – a sketch Neiman created at the 1978 World Series that incorporates a ticket from the game collaged onto the page. Neiman carried his sketchbook everywhere, capturing scenes as he witnessed them.
The illustration captures both Yankees stars despite their well-documented feud, which had begun the previous year after Jackson gave a controversial magazine interview but had largely been resolved by the time of their second championship together.
The 1978 World Series marked the Yankees' second consecutive championship, with Munson batting .320 with seven RBI in the six-game series victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Neiman, who died in 2012, was renowned for his vibrant depictions of sporting events, celebrities and cultural moments. The Kent State exhibition reveals a lesser-known aspect of his career: his origins as a fashion illustrator.
The show begins with Neiman's 1950s illustrations of men's and women's fashions for Chicago department store newspaper advertisements. His early work also appeared in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Brides before he gained fame covering major sporting events, including the Olympics, Super Bowl and World Series.
Throughout his career, Neiman remained focused on capturing his subjects through line and color, with particular attention to how people dressed – a hallmark of his fashion illustration background.
"As we celebrate the museum's 40th anniversary, we're proud to spotlight this Kent State connection through our collaboration with the LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation," 5XÉçÇø Museum Director Sarah Spinner Liska, Ph.D., J.D., said. "The exhibition reveals a rarely seen side of an iconic artist, and invites students and visitors to see illustration as a powerful lens for storytelling."
The Munson illustration offers a unique intersection of Kent State history and American sports culture, connecting the university's most famous baseball alumnus with one of the 20th century's most celebrated sports artists.
"LeRoy Neiman: A Keen Observer of Style" runs through June 2026 at the 5XÉçÇø Museum.