Last fall, the children of Skip Ball donated many of his negatives and slides to the MHBA library. What a treasure trove! The black and white negs start in late 1968, through January of 1986. They graced the pages of Maryland Horse from the mid 60s, through the 70s and early 80s. His photos were originally credited to Walter M. Ball, but the credit line later changed to Skip Ball.
The Queen's Guard made their first US appearance in September 1968 in Philadelphia, involving 47 horses and 160 men. Skip's photos were published in the October 1968 issue of Maryland Horse.
51 years ago, mystery writer Dick Francis made what appears to be the first of many trips to Maryland, where in late winter he met Maryland reknowned timber trainers and jockeys and hunted with Green Spring Valley Hounds. Skip shared photo credits for the shoot with veteran photographer Peter Winants for Snowden Carter's story "Dick Francis visits Maryland," which appeared in Maryland Horse, March 1969.
Skip's coverage of the 1968 Eastern Fall Yearling Sale. His photos appeared in the Maryland Horse, October 1968 issue.
