Ball Shots

Much has been said in the past decade or so about the evolution (or devolution) of sports in this country. It's been obvious for many years that it's not just about the game anymore; it's the personalities and the paychecks and the merchandising that make the headlines rather than the homeruns and touchdowns. This has really been driven home as Arlington gets ready to host the Super Bowl, an event where the parties and the concerts are as much a part of the experience as the football itself. Clearly we like the game for its entertainment value, but it does lose some of its magic when we're more interested in what the Black Eyed Peas are bringing to the table than we are in what happens immediately before and after halftime. Sports photographer Neil Leifer has long lamented this trend, and has sought to capture images that are more spirit than spectacle. This is palpable in the images he's preserved of Super Bowls past, historical boxing matches and baseball and basketball heroes. Photographs Do Not Bend Gallery, 1202 Dragon Street, showcases these portraits from the glory days of American sport in Neil Leifer: For the Love of the Game through March 26. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays; admission is free. Visit pdnbgallery.com.
Tuesdays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Starts: Jan. 29. Continues through March 26, 2011