Hy Peskin

Hy Peskin (November 5, 1915 – June 2, 2005) was an American photographer notable for several famous photographs of American sports people and celebrities published by "Sports Illustrated" and "Life". In particular, he was a pioneer of sports photography with his work being ranked amongst the best sports photojournalism of the Twentieth Century. In 1966, he changed his name to Brian Blaine Reynolds and founded the Academy of Achievement bringing young people together with notable people such as statesmen and Nobel Prize winners.

Photography Career 1915–1964

He was born Hyman Peskin in Brooklyn in 1915 to Russian born parents. His father, Elias Peskowitz, was a tailor who lost his job in the Depression and the family was saved by Peskin's first job as a newspaper seller. Peskin then became a newspaper journalist at the "New York Daily Mirror" but soon became a photographer because it paid a higher salary.

Sports photographers would work from the press box limiting the pictures they could take. Peskin was the first sports photographer to cover the action from the sideline or climb up on the roof to obtain more interesting shots. In his early days, he was known for the photographs he took of the Brooklyn Dodgers from Ebbets Field. Peskin often said "I helped make the Dodgers famous and they helped make me". [http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-peskin10jun10,1,2987419.story?page=1&ctrack=1&cset=true&coll=la-headlines-pe-california]

After serving in the Marines during World War II, he wanted to start work as a magazine photographer using color. He applied for positions with 20 magazines but only "Look magazine" showed any interest. It offered him a job after showing the photo editor pictures of a boxing match he had taken showing the blood on one of the boxer's face.

Peskin was the first staff photographer hired by "Sports Illustrated". His picture of Ben Hogan playing a 1-shot iron to the green at the 72nd hole of the 1950 US Open was ranked by that magazine as one of the greatest sports photographs of the twentieth century.

In 1953, Peskin shot a "Life" cover and photographic feature of Senator John F. Kennedy and his fiancé Jacqueline Bouvier. These photos helped to promote Kennedy as a national figure and were Peskin's personal favourites.

"Sports Illustrated" rated another photo taken by Peskin in 1955 of boxer Carmen Basilio jumping into the arms of his cornerman on winning the welterweight world championship as another of its greatest sports photographs of the twentieth century.

During his career as a sports photographer, Peskin had 40 of his photographs appear on the front cover of "Sports Illustrated". He finished his career on a sad note when technical problems meant that he virtually took no photographs at the first title fight between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston.

Philanthropist 1961–2005

Hy Peskin founded the Academy of Achievement in 1961 to hold annual dinners bringing world luminaries in touch with talented young Americans. The Academy of Achievement struggled at first as notable people thought that the academy might be simply a reason for Peskin to take their photograph. His wife Blanche and sons Evan, Ron and Wayne helped him to stage the dinners which lost money at first.

He therefore changed his name to Brian Blain Reynolds after the three names of his sons so that a Jewish photographer would no longer be perceived as the head of the American Academy of Achievement. The American Academy of Achievement moved to Dallas and became successful.

Wayne Reynolds took over responsibility for the American Academy of Achievement in 1985. Friction developed between Brian Reynolds and his son resulting in court action in the late 1980s. Brian Reynolds persuaded Ray Charles who had previously been honored to give evidence on his behalf as to his role in founding the AAA which was pivotal in him being awarded a monthly pension of $10,000 from the organisation. Unfortunately, the bad blood caused by the legal action meant that the Academy of Achievement as it is now called does not acknowledge the man who founded it on its web site.

Hy Peskin aka Brian Blaine Reynolds died in Herzliyya, Israel in June 2005 of technical errors occurring during kidney dialysis.

External references

* [http://www.ulsterpublishing.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&articleID=346382 Ulster Publishing feature on Hy Peskin]

* [http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-peskin10jun10,1,2987419.story?page=1&ctrack=1&cset=true&coll=la-headlines-pe-california "Los Angeles Times" story on Peskin's death]

* [http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20050611-0012-ca-obit-peskin.html San Diego Union-Tribune obituary]

* [http://www.artdaily.com/section/news/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=13937 Art Daily story on Peskin's death]

* [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/2005/06/03/hy.peskin/content.1.html "Sports Illustrated" gallery of Peskin's photographs]