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MLB·June 30, 2026 01:23 PM ET

Zagaris recounts shooting Canseco's 'Beefcake Book' glamour album for Madonna

How an impromptu Canseco photo shoot reached Madonna.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jun 301 min read
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Madonna wanted to know what Jose Canseco looked like outside of a uniform. So after batting practice one day, Canseco we

What happened: Photographer Michael Zagaris shot a set of glamour portraits of Jose Canseco after a batting-practice session, an album that came to be known as Canseco's 'Beefcake Book.' Canseco assembled the photos to send to Madonna, who had been curious what the slugger looked like outside of his uniform.

Why it matters: The anecdote captures the cross-celebrity culture that surrounded Canseco at the peak of his fame, when baseball's biggest personality moved easily between the diamond and pop stardom. Zagaris has spent six decades photographing athletes, musicians and presidents, making him one of the sport's defining image-makers.

What to watch: Look for more from Zagaris's six-decade archive of sports and celebrity portraiture as his career draws renewed attention.

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