Penn College Gallery to Show Vannucci’s World Series Photos

The Gallery at Penn College, on the third floor of Pennsylvania College of Technology’s Madigan Library, will host an exhibit celebrating legendary local photographer Putsee Vannucci and his contributions to the visual history of the Little League Baseball World Series.

The exhibit, titled “In the Field of Play: The Little League Baseball World Series through the lens of Putsee Vannucci,” is scheduled for July 12 to Aug. 30.

Vannucci photographed every Little League Baseball World Series from the first one in 1947 through the 61st, which occurred a few months prior to his October 2007 passing.

During that time, he shot thousands of remarkable images and witnessed the expansion of the series from a national to an international focus. A wide range of fascinating visuals are included in the exhibit and detail behind-the-scenes and on-the-field images of the players, the icons, the visitors and the historic moments.

In addition to more than 100 photographs culled from more than 12,000 in the archives of Little League International, the exhibit includes some of Vannucci’s original equipment, including a 1940s-era camera and the United Press International Portable Telephoto Transmitter he used to send photos to newspapers worldwide.

Archive footage of the 1948, 1952, 1963, 1971 and 1982 Little League World Series will play on the gallery’s big-screen television.

Helping to select photos was a small community group with ties to Little League and photography.

Vannucci’s long-standing dedication to Little League was recognized several times. In 1990, Little League presented him with the W. Howard Hartman Little League Friendship Award, which recognizes the generosity and loyalty of an individual or organization. In 1999, Vannucci was inducted into the West Branch Valley Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. In 2003, Little League named the photo well at Howard J. Lamade Stadium in his honor.

Vannucci fell in love with photography as he snapped his first pictures as a seventh-grader in Williamsport. By 1940, he was a photojournalist for area newspapers and beginning a storied career as the principal chronicler of major events in the Susquehanna Valley. In addition to regional publications, Vannucci’s work appeared in Life magazine and major newspapers. His photographs received several Associated Press awards.

In addition to his work as a stellar photojournalist, Vannucci and his brother Art were founders and owners of Vannucci Foto Services in Williamsport from 1946-90.

The gallery will host an Opening Reception on July 12 from 5 to 7 p.m., with a gallery talk by Vannucci’s daughter Bonnie Jamieson scheduled at 5:30.

The gallery is open Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday, 2 to 7 p.m.; and Wednesday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Saturday and Monday). The exhibit will be open extended hours Aug. 16-26: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, 1-4 p.m.

All exhibits are free and open to the public.

For more about the exhibit and The Gallery at Penn College, email or call 570-320-2445.

For general information about the college, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.