In the vibrant tapestry of New York City during the late 1960s, a young and aspiring cartoonist, Michael Witte, found his footing in the dynamic realm of illustration. As he recalls, his journey into the world of professional cartooning took an unexpected turn when an opportunity at Time Magazine's art department presented itself, setting the stage for the creation of a memorable comic strip – Scroogie.
Witte's artistic prowess had its roots in his early days as the staff artist for Princeton's humor magazine, the Tiger Magazine. Despite facing a brief setback with a departure from Princeton, he discovered the possibility of making a living as a cartoonist during his time away from academia. Armed with a portfolio of six cartoons, Witte navigated the bustling cityscape and found himself at the doorstep of the National Enquirer, where his journey took an unforeseen turn.
"It was incredibly exciting. I was greeted warmly by some of the best cartoonists in the country," Witte reminisces about that pivotal moment.
It was at Time Magazine that Witte's path intersected with those of Dave Fisher and Neil Offen, ultimately leading to the inception of Scroogie. Dave Fisher, a prolific author even then, was engaged in freelance work, including an interview with the Mets' Tug McGraw for Sport Magazine. In a twist of fate, McGraw revealed his long-held dream of creating a comic strip named Scroogie.
Seizing the opportunity, Fisher approached Witte with the idea of bringing Scroogie to life, marking the genesis of a collaborative effort. "At that point, I would have done anything to get out of Time because I was just doing paste-ups and mechanicals," Witte admits. The trio embarked on a creative journey that would shape the destiny of a comic strip centered around the whimsical world of baseball.
However, just as the venture gained momentum, fate threw a curveball. A week before Scroogie was set to grace the pages, Tug McGraw was traded to the Phillies. "We lost the New York Daily News, which would have been a major source of income for the strip," Witte recalls, detailing the unexpected turn of events.
Despite the setback, Witte, Fisher, and Offen pressed on, finding a new home for Scroogie with the Chicago Tribune, New York News Syndicate. "All of a sudden, I found myself leaving the Time Art Department with a big party, and I was a professional cartoonist with Scroogie," Witte recounts the whirlwind of emotions during that period.The creative process behind Scroogie involved a fusion of Witte's artistic talents and Fisher's narrative ingenuity. "For me, it was just incredibly wonderful, because it was the first time in my life that I'd ever had a chance to do nothing but draw," shares Witte, reflecting on the joy of dedicating his time solely to his craft.
Yet, the repetitiveness of syndicated cartooning eventually wore on him. "Doing a syndicated strip was just incredibly repetitive," Witte confesses. Drawing the same characters for a prolonged period challenged his artistic fulfillment.
As Scroogie took shape over two years, Witte experimented with the characters' designs, refining them to better capture his vision. "I didn't like what they looked like, essentially. So in the second year, I gradually sort of evolved their figures and faces so that they were somewhat different," he explains. Despite its structural flaws, with the baseball season as its core theme, the strip gained momentum and improved over time.
Scroogie's Character Development and Legacy
Witte sheds light on the origins of the endearing characters known as the Pets, revealing that the concept predated Tug McGraw's trade. "It was the Pets from the beginning, actually. Scroogie's characters, were loosely based on real-life figures from the baseball world, particularly Tug McGraw and his teammates. Witte, drawing from his St. Louis roots and his love for baseball, shares insights into the cultural and personal influences that shaped the characters.
"I mean, just growing up in St. Louis, one is infused with baseball. I mean, at the time there really were, there was the Hawks at that point, right? But for the most part, it was just baseball, and the Cardinals were the king."
Witte delves into the iconic status of players like Stan Musial, whose influence left an indelible mark on his appreciation for the game.
The characters in Scroogie, including Royce Rawls, the head pitcher, and Chico, the Latin player, were crafted with a blend of personal experiences, film inspirations, and a dash of humor.While discussing specific characters, Witte reflects on the creation of Homer, a sweet character reminiscent of Mark McGwire, who provided a lighthearted touch to the strip. "In retrospect, he actually resembles McGwire, but he was, I loved him, that character as much as any on the team, actually, just because he was such a sweet character."
Witte then touches upon Tyrone Thomas, a character that Witte was proud of, as he played a role in strips highlighting Frank Robinson, the first African American manager. "I was very, very proud of Tyrone Thomas. He appeared in strips that involved Frank Robinson being the first African American manager, which actually made it into the Hall of Fame.” It provided Witte with an opportunity to chronicle significant moments in real-time. "Absolutely. It really, really was. I mean, you know, we tried, well, we, you know, we were not deliberately topical, I don't think, but we did, you know, very much try to keep abreast of things. And if we could incorporate anything related to current events into the strip, we certainly would."
As the conversation flows, Witte reveals the underlying theme of failure and how baseball players, no matter their success, grapple with anxiety. "So there is, you know, a theme of failure that runs through the strip, and how one deals with failure. And I guess one of the ways is with humor. So I enjoyed that aspect of it."
Witte reminisces about the challenges of meeting deadlines during Scroogie's run and the joy of chronicling baseball's historic moments. The conversation shifts to Tug McGraw's involvement and feedback, with Witte sharing that most communication happened through Dave Fisher. "I think most of the communication was between Tug and Dave, Dave Fisher, because that was the first connection. But I mean, I would hear through Dave that he enjoyed the strip, that he really, really liked it.”
When asked about the enduring impact of the comic strip and its resonance with fans. Witte reflects on the occasional requests for autographs and the surprise of encountering fans who remember the strip."I'm definitely aware of that fact that they do. And it was a very special time for the Mets and for McGraw himself. And obviously, he did extraordinary things with the Phillies too."While acknowledging past requests, Witte shares that such appeals have become less frequent. However, he expresses gratitude for the unexpected resurgence of interest,"People do remember it. I was fairly or greatly surprised when you contacted me by email, being a fan of the strip. But people do remember it."
Witte's admiration for Tug McGraw extends beyond the creative collaboration, delving into a profound appreciation for the pitcher's skills. "I'm honored that my name is associated with him. And I'm very grateful to Dave Fisher for having come running up into the Time Magazine art department saying, do you want to do a strip with Tug McGraw? You know, absolutely. I did. And I'm greatly proud of it to this day."As the conversation shifts to the evolution of Scroogie, Witte expresses pride in the improvement of the strip over time. "I'm very proud of the fact that the strip improved, and our gags improved.."
Reflecting on McGraw's promotion of Scroogie, including personal appearances with characters at various venues, Witte acknowledges being aware of it through conversations with Fisher. "I knew that he enjoyed the strip and took pride in it, and rightfully so. I mean, it was his strip, it was his concept. And I admire him greatly for having created the concept."
Despite the pressures of producing a weekly strip and the relief Witte felt when it concluded, he acknowledges the positive impact it had on his career. "For me, it was just great fun. It would have been a chore long-term though. I mean, in many ways, I was relieved when it ended."Closing the chapter on Scroogie, Witte recounts his transition back to Time Magazine's art department and subsequent freelance opportunities. "There was a huge amount of pressure to produce on a weekly basis. And I had to go back to Time Magazine, to their art department, sort of with my tail between my legs after the strip ended. But I finally got out two years later."Witte's journey continued with the creation of "The Book of Terns," a successful venture that marked his foray into freelancing in 1978, a path he has embraced ever since.
Stay tuned for Part 2, where we find out more about Michaels amazing journey and impact he has had in the game of baseball.