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Custom Time with a Babe Ruth Bat

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mouschi

Featured Contributor, Bridging the Gap, Senior Mem
May 18, 2012
3,105
170
Since taking apart several 1 of 1's at the requests of their owners to create something truly unique - and posting them - I have had a number of critics. While several have said they like what I came up with more than what the card companies created, many just thought it was "wrong" to do...regardless of how nice they turned out.

One thing that has come out of this whole ordeal is apparently what many of the card companies have been putting out simply are not enough to keep people satisfied. I have had a lot of interest in others doing the same thing. Particularly from one person you may have heard of before: Danny Olberman. (Google him and you will know who I am talking about.)

Mr. Olberman has arguably the most impressive pre-war collection on the planet. When he caught wind of what I was doing, he wanted to take a few of his prized possessions to the chop shop owned by yours truly.

If you think what I had done before was dastardly, you may want to look away, because this blows away everything else I have done up to this point.

babe.jpg


Olberman had not one but TWO game used bats from the sultan of swat: Babe Ruth! He wanted me to cut up both, but I convinced him to keep one of the gamers whole. Here is what we were working with:

Untitled-8a.jpg



and a close up of the barrel...

Untitled-8.jpg



After about 5 hours of grinding and chopping, the yield was decent, though a LOT of it is not usable for card material.

Untitled-9.jpg



Thankfully, the nameplate came out perfect!

nameplate.jpg


After spending some time on the design, here is the front of the card:

ruthcard.jpg



Ahem ... might i say ...

GOT HEEEM!

I know, I know - I'm fresh off the heels of my posting for my finger card. I halfway promise I have it out of my system now. :)

No, I did not chop up a Babe gamer, and no, I did not get contacted by a Danny Olberman. Completely fictitious character. I did, however, have the opportunity to create something pretty dang awesome (I'm not kidding this time...Keep reading!)

What I did have the benefit of doing is creating something truly unique out of a Ted Williams signed check...

mail.google.com.jpg


And one of his patch cards...

$(KGrHqR,!qwFCSu5RuY(BQu(Du0go!~~60_12.JPG



I personally think that the card is beautiful, albeit an odd pairing of both players and relics. Barry Bonds and Ted Williams? Okayyy.... And a PATCH of Teddy Ballgame with a base for Barry?

Weird.

One of the challenges I faced was the signature's size. A card is 3 1/2" wide and the autograph was. I typically like to work with signatures 3" or less, and this was cutting it close as it was.

meamail.google.com.jpg


Instead of trying to cram it into a standard card, why not make it bigger? How about a vertical booklet size without the channel in the middle of the card? It doesn't need to bend since it isn't pack pulled anyway, right?

Here is the carnage of the nice Bonds/Williams that is now gone forever.
20150719_002629.jpg


So here I present to you: The Splendid Splinter Patch / Cut Auto 1 of 1 nestled nicely in a vertical booklet holder:


20150719_005923.jpg


The back has pictures of the check, COA and the donor card for this art piece. I find it funny that about 10 years ago, Donruss was putting pictures of the memorabilia used to make their cards. Fast forward 10 years, I'm now putting pictures of the cards I'm destroying that are used to make my cards.
20150719_005938.jpg


Here is a size comparison with a regularly sized card. I was at first curious about the patch. Would it be that funky size in the SPX card, or would it prove to be a nice square? I was glad it was the full square, though it was a task and a half to get it out of the card in one piece.

20150719_010054.jpg


This just might be one of my favorite pieces I've done. I love how it turned out!

Before I sign off for this post, I have a request: If you see my Beckett on the stands in your local card shop or store, would you mind snapping a pic of it and sending to me? Having a selfie with you in it is perfectly acceptable as well. :) I'd love to have a small collection of pics from where it is being sold in various places. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to make it to the store to see one live in a store before it comes off the shelf!
 
Last edited:

fordman

Well-known member
Feb 22, 2013
3,190
32
Ohio
I love the Ted Williams custom! I've come to expect a little embellishment in your posts.

Not exactly what you asked for but:
1437768956218.jpg

1437768983504.jpg

I had bought the issue prior to you asking for a pic on the newsstand. I did however push it around in the Meijer store in a cart by itself.

Fordman

Sell me your Jay Bruce cards!
 

mouschi

Featured Contributor, Bridging the Gap, Senior Mem
May 18, 2012
3,105
170
Thanks guys! [MENTION=9350]fordman[/MENTION] - awesome thank you :)
[MENTION=12284]16christensen16[/MENTION] thanks! The Babe part was a fabrication though :) I was inspired to put the Babe out there though, thanks to the fuss we caused with our projects!
 

kryslarry

New member
May 19, 2010
399
0
Nor-Cal
Wow, that Williams card is amazing. Seems as if you are getting better with each card you make! Very impressed.
 

Nate Colbert 17

Active member
Aug 10, 2008
3,693
0
Texas
If this has been stated by others, please forgive my redundancy.

Why is it than an amateur (albeit a skilled one) can produce better cards than the professionals?
 

Brewer Andy

Active member
Aug 10, 2008
9,634
21
If this has been stated by others, please forgive my redundancy.

Why is it than an amateur (albeit a skilled one) can produce better cards than the professionals?

Last thing I want to do is make excuses for Topps or others, but I would imagine an individual card project is a bit easier to coordinate than mass production with multiple outsources of manufacturing
 

mouschi

Featured Contributor, Bridging the Gap, Senior Mem
May 18, 2012
3,105
170
If this has been stated by others, please forgive my redundancy.

Why is it than an amateur (albeit a skilled one) can produce better cards than the professionals?

Love it, thanks!
 

Jhileman79

Member
Nov 28, 2014
341
0
Are you willing to make custom cards for collectors? I would love a 1 of 1 custom Jeter card. I could supply you with a patch, an auto & some $$:)
 

mouschi

Featured Contributor, Bridging the Gap, Senior Mem
May 18, 2012
3,105
170
Are you willing to make custom cards for collectors? I would love a 1 of 1 custom Jeter card. I could supply you with a patch, an auto & some $$:)

I am commissioned for art projects like this quite a bit so shoot me a pm if interested!
 

1998 SPx

Member
Jun 11, 2014
168
2
Part of me cringes every time I read one of these. That being said, I like your cards better than the ones you destroy.
 

mouschi

Featured Contributor, Bridging the Gap, Senior Mem
May 18, 2012
3,105
170
Thank you guys and thank you [MENTION=9350]fordman[/MENTION] for the picture!
 

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