Selwyn Fund turned 80 on Thursday. The 1948 graduate of the New York Institute of Photography has made his living in photography ever since. He founded the Photographic Society of Roosevelt Island in 1977, and was its president for some of its 20-year run. He’s also a past president of Professional Photographers of Greater New York. Active in Gallery RIVAA and on its board, he’s planning an exhibit of his work, called Timeless Photography, at the Octagon Park Apartments gallery, within the next few months.

On April 15, 1947, Fund captured the only photograph (right) of Jackie Robinson’s first play as a Brooklyn Dodger, in Ebbetts Field. A student, he had borrowed a Speed Graphic camera. That gave him the look of a news photographer, so he was able to position himself behind the Dodger dugout to get the historic shot.

Ten years later, Fund photographed Willie Mays (below) of the New York Giants on Sunday, September 29, 1957 – the day of the last game at the Polo Grounds.