Do you collect Game-Used Bases?

[MTC]

I know a lot of people collect a wide assortment of stuff around here, with some being focused more on just collecting game-used bases. However, I was wondering if there was a certain section out there that only collected game-used bases.

If this is you, what do you love about game-used bases? And how do you display them? Please attach any good shots you may have of your most treasured bases and how you've framed them. I've never paid much attention to bases but I'm starting to warm up to them. I guess one advantage they have is that they are used for a much larger portion of the game than just a single baseball. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

[tbone90]

I collect a wide range of game used baseball items, mostly bats, and as part of that I also collect game used bases. I don't collect statistically relevent bases from specific games or players careers though. I only collect game used bases with logo's printed on top of the bag. The logo's are usually pretty colorful, clear in what the particular game or event was and look great all dirtied up from game use. I have approximately 25-30 of them commorating all sorts of different occasions. The bases I have range from World Series and All Star games to the WBC and the Civil Right game. Quite a few are from the final season or inaugural season of ballparks and I'm always on the search for ones I don't have. Most recently this year I aquired logo bases from the 100th Anniversary game at Wrigley and the anniversary of Hank Aaron's 715 HR's on Opening Day from the Braves.

I cut out wooden holders from plywood, paint them white and use large picture hangers on them. The moubnts/hangers slide in the base where the mounting plate goes for games and I hang them on the wall. It gives them almost a floating look.

There's never seemed to be a large contingency of g/u base collectors but I sure enjoy them in my collection. I'm looking to the National next week to see if I can find any new ones to add!

[MTC]

I collect a wide range of game used baseball items, mostly bats, and as part of that I also collect game used bases. I don't collect statistically relevent bases from specific games or players careers though. I only collect game used bases with logo's printed on top of the bag. The logo's are usually pretty colorful, clear in what the particular game or event was and look great all dirtied up from game use. I have approximately 25-30 of them commorating all sorts of different occasions. The bases I have range from World Series and All Star games to the WBC and the Civil Right game. Quite a few are from the final season or inaugural season of ballparks and I'm always on the search for ones I don't have. Most recently this year I aquired logo bases from the 100th Anniversary game at Wrigley and the anniversary of Hank Aaron's 715 HR's on Opening Day from the Braves.

I cut out wooden holders from plywood, paint them white and use large picture hangers on them. The moubnts/hangers slide in the base where the mounting plate goes for games and I hang them on the wall. It gives them almost a floating look.

There's never seemed to be a large contingency of g/u base collectors but I sure enjoy them in my collection. I'm looking to the National next week to see if I can find any new ones to add!

Awesome! Thanks so much for the information and your story, Tony. Do you have any pictures you could share of them on your wall?

[tbone90]

Sure, I'll try to post a couple of pics this evening.

[mbenga28]

Do autographs on game used bases last? I've seen some where you can barely make out the signature. Is it due to the dirt or is the surface not marker friendly?

[volunteer]

Do autographs on game used bases last? I've seen some where you can barely make out the signature. Is it due to the dirt or is the surface not marker friendly?

They need to be sanded down to make the surface smooth in order for the sharpie to take.

[64SHEA]

Do autographs on game used bases last? I've seen some where you can barely make out the signature. Is it due to the dirt or is the surface not marker friendly?

I have two bases with several autos and so far have had no problems with fading. Of course just like anything how you store/display it will make a big difference.

The real problem is getting a good looking auto. There are indentations going all over the base as well as little bumps that I assume are for grip. They can make it difficult to sign the base. If you get a player who doesn't really care it wont look great. You can see how Mariano took his time while it seems Pedroia said good enough and moved on.

IMG_7043 by mets1190, on Flickr

[esigs]

I collect a wide range of game used baseball items, mostly bats, and as part of that I also collect game used bases. I don't collect statistically relevent bases from specific games or players careers though. I only collect game used bases with logo's printed on top of the bag. The logo's are usually pretty colorful, clear in what the particular game or event was and look great all dirtied up from game use. I have approximately 25-30 of them commorating all sorts of different occasions. The bases I have range from World Series and All Star games to the WBC and the Civil Right game. Quite a few are from the final season or inaugural season of ballparks and I'm always on the search for ones I don't have. Most recently this year I aquired logo bases from the 100th Anniversary game at Wrigley and the anniversary of Hank Aaron's 715 HR's on Opening Day from the Braves.

I cut out wooden holders from plywood, paint them white and use large picture hangers on them. The moubnts/hangers slide in the base where the mounting plate goes for games and I hang them on the wall. It gives them almost a floating look.

There's never seemed to be a large contingency of g/u base collectors but I sure enjoy them in my collection. I'm looking to the National next week to see if I can find any new ones to add!

Tony, for each commemorative base, do you know roughly how many times teams use bases with the logo vs. just a jewel being commemorative? For example, for Ripken's retirement, it looks like they had the #8 jewel in many games, but the base with the farewell logo was used only in the final home series? On the other hand, the bases celebrating a stadium milestone seem to have been used on different dates not just the end of the season. I'm just trying to get a sense of how many of these logo bases were used for each logo type, if there is any pattern throughout MLB.

[Hoosier39]

I have about 4 bases that I would sell if anyone has an interest. My email is Hoosiers39 at gmail

[mreph]

My favorite piece of game used memorabilia is a Brett Gardner Stolen Base in which he inscribed "I stole this base". I got him to sign it in Person and I had seen it done before with other players and thought it was such a clever inscription for a base