This beautifully rendered Helmar art card features Johnny Mize, the powerful first baseman whose compact swing and quiet confidence made him one of the most feared sluggers of his generation. The image captures Mize fielding a grounder in the crisp pinstripes of the New York Yankees, his broad frame balanced in motion and eyes fixed on the play. The artwork’s vivid palette—sunset reds, golden infield tones, and bold sky blues—evokes the visual rhythm of baseball’s postwar years. Each brushstroke lends sculptural weight to Mize’s stance, conveying both his athletic precision and the stoic calm that earned him the nickname “The Big Cat.”

Born in Demorest, Georgia, in 1913, Johnny Mize began his major league career with the St. Louis Cardinals before starring for the New York Giants and later joining the Yankees dynasty of the early 1950s. A ten-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Mize hit 359 home runs despite losing three prime seasons to military service during World War II. Known for his smooth, efficient power stroke, he was the first player to hit three home runs in a single game six different times—a testament to his consistent dominance at the plate. With the Yankees, he became a veteran presence and clutch performer, playing key roles in their championship runs from 1949 to 1953.

Helmar’s “This Great Game” series celebrates baseball’s heroes through richly colored, hand-painted portraits that capture both nostalgia and artistry. Printed on heavyweight, vintage-textured stock and delicately aged for authenticity, each card pays homage to the golden era of gum cards. Card No. 12 honors Johnny Mize—a master of timing, power, and grace whose career bridged generations of the national pastime.

Original gouache painting by Sanjay Verma.