PEB DRF Illustrator; I just read where he was fired

[JustRalph]

http://www.pebsite.com/who-i-am.shtml

DRF apparently canned PEB.............

check out his site.......really good stuff in the archive

[beertapper]

the man illustrates for the big race days, and his work is classic... in dollars and cents, i doubt he's on their full time payroll.

that's really a shame... guess they'll just paste up an ad for "TRIP HANDICAPPING" in place of his art...

[beertapper]

on google

http://www.horseraceinsider.com/blog.php/lines-in-the-sand/01022009-4000-drawings-later/

sounds like new ownership did not know who he was and his 50 years of work

[Greyfox]

http://www.pebsite.com/who-i-am.shtml

DRF apparently canned PEB.............

check out his site.......really good stuff in the archive

Buy up his prints. They will increase in value.
PEB is and was one of a kind.

But....economy going south, ....age 77.....?
...Could be you or me next? Absolutely...

[Norm]

It's the Racing Form's loss. They just took a step down in class. PEB will never run out of work or admirer's.

Thanks for the link, that's a great site.

[CincyHorseplayer]

Wow.I didn't know much about the guy til now but his stuff was always great.The sight of it alone gave me a nice glow on the big race days.He'll be missed by this kid.

[JustRalph]

Story on his firing.........thanks to Equidaily (http://www.equidaily.com/) for the link!

http://www.horseraceinsider.com/blog.php/lines-in-the-sand/comments/01022009-4000-drawings-later/#comments

[phatbastard]

speaking of the missing.....anyone know what happened to Kenny Peck?

[jballscalls]

Interesting comments on that blog, was that really them?

[DJofSD]

When he spoke to me the other day, Peb said he was looking at old photos of Joe Hernandez, the track announcer who worked at Del Mar for more than 20 years. Peb, who's been commissioned by Del Mar to do a mural that will include dozens of the jockeys, trainers, owners and celebrities who worked and played at the seaside track, hopes to have the work finished in time for opening day in July. Peb reeled off the names of those he's drawing: Bing Crosby, Pat O'Brien, Jimmy Durante, Oliver Hardy, W.C. Fields, Ava Gardner, Betty Grable, Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, Mickey Rooney and Telly Savalas. He's already captured Durante's schnoz perfectly, in the sports-celebrity mural he drew for Gallagher's, the Manhattan steak house, a few years ago.

Summertime racing, women and now PEB -- can Del Mar get any better?

[Spectacular Sid]

guess they'll just paste up an ad for "TRIP HANDICAPPING" in place of his art...

Or an 8x10 glossy of Mike Watchmaker

[mountainman]

Handicappers and columnists come and go, ego-driven and interchangeable in a publication propelled by tradition and monopoly. Peb was the soul of drf and can't be replaced. He was the one cog no competitor can ever duplicate.

[oddsmaven]

I'll miss his clever drawings...a favorite that comes to mind back in '73 - Riva Ridge had just won the prestigious Brooklyn Handicap in track record time on The 4th of July, so he portrayed, stablemate Secretariat, surrounded by an adoring throng of media, fielding questions and posing for pictures, while the under-appreciated and perhaps jealous :p Riva is lighting a fuse to a cache of fireworks right under them.

[boomman]

Handicappers and columnists come and go, ego-driven and interchangeable in a publication propelled by tradition and monopoly. Peb was the soul of drf and can't be replaced. He was the one cog no competitor can ever duplicate.

Eloquently said Mark (as usual) and agree 100%!

Boomer

[Tom]

They fired him and kept their customer service people??????

DRF would not know class if they stepped in it.
So many fish, so few copies printed.

[mountainman]

I'll miss his clever drawings...a favorite that comes to mind back in '73 - Riva Ridge had just won the prestigious Brooklyn Handicap in track record time on The 4th of July, so he portrayed, stablemate Secretariat, surrounded by an adoring throng of media, fielding questions and posing for pictures, while the under-appreciated and perhaps jealous :p Riva is lighting a fuse to a cache of fireworks right under them.

Secretariat showed him some appreciation in the Marlboro Cup. What a field that was.

[OTM Al]

Going to say to start that the way he drew the horses would give me a chuckle and I'm sorry he lost his job, but I honestly think the quality of his work had declined quite a bit. He did a Curlin giveaway poster for a giveaway at Saratoga this year that was awful. It was to me an emabarassing way to honor the horse of the year and given the large stacks of them that were left over, it was clear they were none too popular. I will say kindly that his charactures of certain racial groups reflected past times a little too frequently. And for those of you that think horseplayers aren't well represented, he didn't illustrate you too kindly either. His work was also quite expensive, something that a business looking for savings could drop without losing a bit of its relevant content. There was a world in racing before him and there will be after and those that enjoy his work, be glad you got the opportunity, but I'm not mourning this. I really think it was past time to go.

[toetoe]

Well put, Al.

Also, kudos to Peter Berry and Andy Littleguy for jumping in on the horseraceinsider comments board under the story, on behalf of Miss Minger
[That's great, but who goes to bat for Mork ? --Ed.]. I would want two such credible gents on my side in such a situation. :ThmbUp:

[strapper]

Hard to fathom the DRF let go of the masterful Pierre (PEB)! I save all of his work. What were they thinking??? :confused:

[toetoe]

Peter Berry, is your middle initial E ?

[Peter Berry]

Peter Berry, is your middle initial E ?

Alas, no. I can barely draw my tea of a morning.

[bushwick]

20 years from now see who is remembered Peter Berry, Miss Minger or PEB. I will take my chances with PEB

[ArlJim78]

honestly, i never understood why his DRF covers are so revered. personally i prefer the covers with the high quality horse photos.

[strapper]

Going to say to start that the way he drew the horses would give me a chuckle and I'm sorry he lost his job, but I honestly think the quality of his work had declined quite a bit. He did a Curlin giveaway poster for a giveaway at Saratoga this year that was awful. It was to me an emabarassing way to honor the horse of the year and given the large stacks of them that were left over, it was clear they were none too popular. I will say kindly that his charactures of certain racial groups reflected past times a little too frequently. And for those of you that think horseplayers aren't well represented, he didn't illustrate you too kindly either. His work was also quite expensive, something that a business looking for savings could drop without losing a bit of its relevant content. There was a world in racing before him and there will be after and those that enjoy his work, be glad you got the opportunity, but I'm not mourning this. I really think it was past time to go.

Sorry but one or two less than stellar efforts can't take away from his fantastic body of work at DRF. He was the heart and soul of the paper if you ask me. They can try to find another cartoonist but, trust me, PEB had the gift.

[richrosa]

One has to assume, unless told otherwise by Vic himself, that the comment really wasn't made by Vic Stauffer.

[Peter Berry]

20 years from now see who is remembered Peter Berry, Miss Minger or PEB. I will take my chances with PEB

I don't understand the relevance of that statement. My comment on Bill Christine's blog was directed at the person making a personal attack on Miss Minger under the name "Vic Staufer."

[jfb]

Handicappers and columnists come and go, ego-driven and interchangeable in a publication propelled by tradition and monopoly. Peb was the soul of drf and can't be replaced. He was the one cog no competitor can ever duplicate.

Nicely said.

[Alyblakester]

Say it ain't so! No Peb??? What a croc!

[OTM Al]

I'll say it again, he could be humorous, but he drew 5 or 6 covers for the entire year. That is hardly the heart and soul of the paper. You want to talk Steve Crist, Mike Watchmaker, Jay Hovdey I'll listen. That would be serious loss of content. This just isn't. If your world is less bright now he'd be glad to take your money if you want to buy any of his books or prints.

[toetoe]

Peter,

Nor can I, having gathered a full head of locutory steam, even draw my brakes.

I can't draw my own bath !


"What's this ? A post from Toetoe ? Say no more. No, I mean it, Toe ---


SAY NO MORE."

[Overlay]

As much as I loved Peb's front pages for the big races, everybody moves on at some point (voluntarily or not). I imagine his replacement (whoever it may be) will acquire a following of his (or her) own over time.

[the little guy]

They are not " replacing " Peb.....they are going with photographs. The article clearly states that.

[santanajimi]

Although i didnt read the article totally, i would imagine Peb isnt leaving DRF nearly broke. That guy is just an amazing artist. HOPEFULLY he will take the added time to do some things , that maybe he didnt have time to do while working for them...

[DrugS]

You want to talk Steve Crist, Mike Watchmaker, Jay Hovdey I'll listen. That would be serious loss of content.

I haven't read Hovdey in a while ....

I'm assuming he has made spectacular recent improvement?

[takeout]

I wonder who is going to get the next “free lunch”?

At some point the paper DRF has to disappear completely, doesn’t it?

[Spectacular Sid]

Just out of curiosity, other than the past performances, what's worth looking at in the Form? Most morning lines are laughable...the selections are useless. Some of the closer looks are OK.

What's in that expensive paper that helps us cash a bet?

[OTM Al]

Just out of curiosity, other than the past performances, what's worth looking at in the Form? Most morning lines are laughable...the selections are useless. Some of the closer looks are OK.

What's in that expensive paper that helps us cash a bet?

Other than the past performances? Personally I feel most comfortable with DRF PPs, so I would buy it for only that. However, while they do not help me cash a bet very often, I do read the stories as every once in a while there is a little nugget in there, the way a trainer makes a comment, a rationalization for a bad performance or something minor like that that is worth at least considering. I also find Steve Crist an excellent writer, one who would be so covering other subjects as well if that had been his choice in life. And pictures of horses in full gallop are beautiful to see and the ones when they are getting a bath always give me a smile because they always look so funny.I enjoy the sport, so most days to me the DRF is simply a good read.

[Alyblakester]

Just out of curiosity, other than the past performances, what's worth looking at in the Form? Most morning lines are laughable...the selections are useless. Some of the closer looks are OK.

What's in that expensive paper that helps us cash a bet?

Marcus Hersch is usually a pretty good handicapper I've noticed. I would hate to see the printed on paper DRF shrivel up but the way things are going in publishing it would not surprise me.

[proximity]

like the industry as a whole, drf is sloooooow to change.

they should have fired almost everybody a long, long time ago and hired an at least second rate i.t. department. with even decent pp software and pace figures they could have put bris/tsn out of business long ago.