LOS ANGELES (AP) – Hy Peskin, Sports Illustrated’s first staff photographer whose work graced 40 of the magazine’s covers, has died. He was 89.

Peskin died June 2 in Israel of kidney disease, his family confirmed Friday. He recently moved to Israel from Plano, Texas, and was building a home there.

“For my money, he’s the best that ever lived,” said Neil Leifer, a former colleague at Sports Illustrated. Leifer visited Lewiston recently as part of the 40th anniversary of the Muhammad Ali-Sonny Liston title match in the city.

Peskin “never followed the pack,” said Steve Fine, director of photography at the magazine. “He was always looking for a different angle, a different point of view a different lens to show sporting events in still photography in a way you’d never seen it before.”

But at the peak of his success, Peskin all but abandoned the profession he had mastered, changing his name in 1964 to Brian Blaine Reynolds and launching a second successful career as a philanthropist. He created the Academy of Achievement, which staged annual tribute events that brought together adult luminaries, including Nobel Prize winners, with talented young people.

Two of Peskin’s most famous photos, of golfer Ben Hogan and boxer Carmen Basilio, made Sports Illustrated’s list of favorite photos of the 20th century.

The Hogan photo was taken from behind the golfer at the end of a swing during his 1950 U.S. Open victory. It shows him surrounded by a gallery of thousands of fans spread out across the course from tee to green.

The Basilio picture shows the boxer leaping into the arms of his cornerman after knocking out Tony DeMarco in their 1955 title bout.

Peskin is survived by his three sons from his first marriage to Blanche Reynolds, who died in 1978, as well as his second wife, Adriana Reynolds, and their two sons.