The Dugout (Bottom of the Ninth) is a 1948 painting by American artist Norman Rockwell, painted for the September 4, 1948, cover of The Saturday Evening Post magazine. The painting depicts the Chicago Cubs bench dejected during a game against the Boston Braves at Braves Field.

The painting became one of Rockwell's most iconic baseball-themed works and came to symbolize the Cubs' "lovable loser" image, throughout.^[1]

The painting features four members of the 1948 Chicago Cubs. From left to right:

• Bob Rush, pitcher
• Charlie Grimm, manager of the Cubs
• Rube Walker, seated behind the batboy, catcher
• Johnny Schmitz, standing behind the batboy, pitcher

Amongst the subjects in the crowd are two women with connection to personnel of the 1948 Boston Braves: Helen Fitzsimmons, daughter of Braves' coach Freddie Fitzsimmons, and Terese Prendergast, wife of Braves' pitcher Jim Prendergast.^[2]

Before a doubleheader at Braves Field between the Boston Braves and the Chicago Cubs on May 23, 1948, Rockwell approached both teams with the intention of creating a portrait of a visiting team's dejection in contrast elation of hometown fans.^[3]

A number of Cubs players and manager Charlie Grimm agreed to pose in the dugout to be photographed. As spectators filled the stands, Rockwell handpicked a number of them and instructed them to mimic expressions of delight or scorn. Additionally, a batboy for the Braves, Frank McNulty,^[2] had to be convinced to pose in a Cubs jersey in front of the dugout.^[3] Rockwell paid McNulty $5 ($63.00 in 2023).^[2]

The Cubs went on to lose both games of the doubleheader.^[4][5]

• Reference photos for The Dugout via Norman Rockwell Museum