James Fiorentino C’99 is the first to enter as an artist
January 2024 – Drew University alum James Fiorentino C’99 has been elected to the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
“This is a great honor because I am the first person to be recognized by the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame for contributions to the game of baseball as an artist,” said Fiorentino.
The watercolorist tied his career back to his time at Drew, where he played shortstop for the Drew Rangers baseball team for four years.
“Drew was a wonderful experience all around for me,” he said.
“I was able to continue my arts education and play baseball at the same time. I was able to take on new mediums and explore ways of painting with great professors which made me a better artist. Playing college baseball allowed me to compete at a high level, which always inspires my baseball art.”
Last year, the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame Museum’s grand opening featured a commissioned portrait from Fiorentino, making his induction all the more personal.
“Throughout my career I have been able to paint and meet some of the greatest New York athletes to ever play the game, so this is quite the honor.”
Amazingly, this is not Fiorentino’s first baseball Hall of Fame. At the age of 15, Fiorentino’s likeness of Reggie Jackson made him the youngest artist ever featured in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Fiorentino has a number of other works of in Cooperstown, including a depiction of the Greatest Negro Leagues Players, which was previously installed in the negro leagues Museum.
