© 2025 KUNR
Illustration of rolling hills with occasional trees and a radio tower.
Serving Northern Nevada and the Eastern Sierra
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
The threat of catastrophic funding cuts for public media looms, and while we don’t know what the U.S. Senate will do, we do know this: We need your help protecting this vital service.
Learn what you can do to support KUNR and public media today ➡️

Sports Artists LeRoy Neiman Dies At 91

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

LeRoy Neiman's American Dream included a paintbrush. He was a self-described street kid who grew up to become one of the nation's best-known artists, mingling with the likes of Muhammad Ali and Frank Sinatra.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Neiman died yesterday at age 91. He was known for his long-handled bar mustache and for his distinctive paintings of sports figures. You know the paintings when you see them: impressionistic images with bright splashes of color.

INSKEEP: His style captured the motion of athletes leaping toward a basketball goal or Jack Nicklaus following through on a golf swing. He sketched Olympic events live on television, and also captured less-kinetic scenes. He once captured Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky playing their 1972 world chess championship in Reykjavik. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.