WHY BILL GALLO IS MY IDOL

1922-2011

Drawing cartoons was something I always did as a kid and something that has followed me throughout my adult life as well. As a kid, I would read the comic strips of Family Circus and the Peanuts and then I’d find myself searching for the Bill Gallo cartoon in the sports section. I did it nearly everyday. Usually it was a way for me to top off my “heavy reading” and it usually started my day on a high note.

Bill Gallo passed away Tuesday night of complications of pneumonia. He was 88 years old and his career of sports cartooning lasted decades.

Gallo worked almost up to the end of his career. Recently, he was battling emphysema and medical setbacks but worked through it sending his cartoons overnight to his work and his co-workers would get them to the editors. His last cartoon was April 19^th.

As an adult, I was still looking for Gallo’s cartoons in the Daily News. Players had changed from Mantle, to Mattingly, from Boggs to Jeter, but the cartoons were always the same; original and they always made their point, and put a smile on my face or touched me, every time.

If I didn’t see the Gallo cartoon, it usually affected me. The routine lasted for years and it was almost like getting up and brushing my teeth, I needed to have my Gallo fix or the day would be missing something.

This post is dedicated to Mr. Bill Gallo. Not only did he draw cartoons like I still love to do, he followed sports, another one of my hobbies, and my connection to him will forever be strong, even though I've never met the man, I felt like I knew him. I'm sure many of you feel the same way.

Thank You Bill Gallo. Thanks for being apart of my life all these years. From a cartoon standpoint as well as a sports standpoint, you are my idol and will always be my idol. For that, I have dedicated my cartoon to you. Thank you sir.

Rest in peace old pal.

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