Obituary: James G. Klingensmith / Photographer who captured Maz's 1960 home run
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James G. Klingensmith's image of Pirate Bill Mazeroski rounding the bases at Forbes Field to win the 1960 World Series. -
James Klingensmith on July 4, 2001, his 90th birthday, with his famous photo of Bill Mazeroski rounding the bases at the World Series.
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James G. Klingensmith, the photographer who captured the iconic image of Bill Mazeroski rounding the bases after winning the 1960 World Series with one of baseball's most dramatic home runs, died in his sleep Monday at Kane Regional Center in Scott. He had just celebrated his 100th birthday with a party this month.
Most Pittsburghers who were alive remember exactly where they were when Mr. Mazeroski hit that homer. James C. Klingensmith was at his father's elbow on the roof of the press box of Forbes Field.
His dad, a photographer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, had been looking for a different angle to shoot Game 7 and asked a maintenance man if he could borrow a ladder.
"We were the only ones up there," the younger Mr. Klingensmith said. "Once we got up there, my dad said, 'Pull up the ladder. I don't want anybody getting hurt.' And I told him, 'You don't want anybody else coming up here. That's what you want.' And we all laughed."
LEGACY.COMIn the bottom of the ninth inning, Mr. Mazeroski cracked one of the most historic homers in baseball, launching the fans -- and the city -- into a delirious celebration.
"When Maz hit the home run, my dad started jumping up and down, and I said, 'Pap, you better get to work,' " his son said. "He said, 'Holy hell, you're right!' And he grabbed his camera and caught Maz coming around second base."
Mr. Klingensmith's image of the jubilant ballplayer waving his batting helmet over his head was frozen in people's memories and served as the model for the statue of Mr. Mazeroski dedicated outside PNC Park last year.
Born in the Hill District, Mr. Klingensmith grew up on Mount Washington. He was attending South Hills High School when a visit by a newspaper photographer changed his life.
"I don't know what it was. I was just fascinated by that cameraman," he recalled in a 2001 article. "I never even had a camera in my hand at that point."
PG VIDEO: JAMES KLINGENSMITHFirst Published July 26, 2011 12:00 am
