Card #4 in Helmar’s “This Great Game” series portrays Bo Belinsky, the charismatic
left-hander whose blend of swagger and style made him a 1960s Los Angeles original. Sanjay
Verma’s depiction freezes Belinsky at the top of his motion, his glove poised above his head,
the twilight sky behind him dissolving into soft purples and desert oranges. The piece radiates
both glamour and uncertainty—fitting for a player whose life straddled the line between
baseball promise and Hollywood allure. Every contour of his face, from the calm eyes to the
slightly parted lips, conveys the mix of confidence and introspection that defined him.

The reverse card explodes in neon contrast: violet and electric pink lines slicing through black
fields like studio lights over Sunset Boulevard. Belinsky’s image repeats, now drenched in
saturated color, evoking the psychedelic posters and nightlife energy of early-’60s Los
Angeles. The layered typography and glowing team script recall both print art and nightclub
marquees. Card No. 4 thus becomes not just a baseball portrait but a cultural
snapshot—Helmar’s salute to the era when Bo Belinsky was the face of both youthful
rebellion and fleeting fame.

Original gouache painting by Sanjay Verma.