Clyde Schmidt (pictured), described as an institution at the Hayward Daily Review for his illustrations of local athletes for 40 years, died Tuesday at age 86, the newspaper reports. ANG sports columnist Carl Steward, the subject of a Schmidt drawing in 1987, wrote Tuesday that he cherishes it “more than a Monet or Picasso.” Hundreds of originals are believed to be in the possession of the athletes who starred in them. A few of his youthful Prep of the Week subjects, such as former Hayward High School football player Jack Del Rio, went on to become national stars. Most did not. “He was definitely an institution at the Review,” said Jon Becker, sports editor for The Daily Review. “For any high school kid playing sports, that was the ultimate thrill: to be the Prep of the Week. To see how old Clyde could make you look.”

Matt O’Brien, a reporter at the Daily Review, informs us that the paper’s “Hayword” blog has this item on Schmidt, which includes an example of his art work. The photo above is from that blog.