Quite a bidding war

[yankees159]

Re: Quite a bidding war

Guys I think the major point here is we are looking for an example of a helmut in a collection or photo that has black dyno tape.

Best,

TJ

[cbb5]

Re: Quite a bidding war

Ok, found some proof. I'll have to scan the pictures, but if you have the 1987 Mets yearbooks, you'll be able to see. In the original 1987 yearbook (World Championship edition) on page 38 you'll see McReynolds with blue dymo tape (photo taken during spring training). In the Revised edition, also on page 38, you'll see McReynolds during the season with a helmet with blue dymo tape and clearly a die-cut decal (not like the logo that this helmet has and the one that the Mets switched to during the 1987 season). I'll try to get the pictures scanned as soon as I can.
Chris

[dcrules01]

Re: Quite a bidding war

Nick has stated that the tape was replaced numerous times throughout the season. He has spoken to somebody that talked to the equipment manager with them.I have sent photos to a few private collectors and there comments were the helmet looked good and just because it has black tape is really not that big of an issue.The helmet is 22 years old do you really believe that the beating a helmet takes in a 162 game season that the tape would not have been replaced. I am baffled the thread keeps going on to be honest and what the point is.If the helmet was used in spring training or the regular season is it still not worn by the player and considered game used?

[dcrules01]

Re: Quite a bidding war

Are you are implying that the helmet was used in spring training and you found a photo of the helmet and it had blue tape instead of black that makes it not legit? The helmet is 22 years old how many items that you taped 22 years ago still have that same tape. Who knows where the helmet has been in the 22 years?

[yankees159]

Re: Quite a bidding war

Ok, found some proof. I'll have to scan the pictures, but if you have the 1987 Mets yearbooks, you'll be able to see. In the original 1987 yearbook (World Championship edition) on page 38 you'll see McReynolds with blue dymo tape (photo taken during spring training). In the Revised edition, also on page 38, you'll see McReynolds during the season with a helmet with blue dymo tape and clearly a die-cut decal (not like the logo that this helmet has and the one that the Mets switched to during the 1987 season). I'll try to get the pictures scanned as soon as I can.
Chris

This says it all for me. This is why I passed on the Helmet.

[TNTtoys]

Re: Quite a bidding war

Once again this thread has gone off the rails.

The proof that I believe Chris is alluding to here is the fact that McReynolds had worn a helmet or helmets that contained blue tape. We know this. It is a fact... But it is not what we're trying to prove.

We're trying to prove the that black tape could have been used... and I maintain my opinion that this is likely something we will not be able to prove or disprove.

As stated by the Mets equipment manager in a previous post: the tape came off the helmets at least once a month throughout the course of the season. If (for example) McReynolds had 2 helmets during 1987, he potentially had at least 5 tape changes per helmet throughout the course of the season.

Are the photos in the yearbook of this helmet or of an alternate? Were they taken before the tape fell off and was replaced with black? Unfortunately we don't know and will still not know unless a photo actually surfaces with visible black tape.

While I'm on that subject, doesn't anyone find it strange that out of the hundreds or even thousands of helmets that the Mets wore in the mid to late 1980s that only a handful have ever surfaced? Some of them had dark blue tape. Some had light blue tape. Some had grayish looking tape (perhaps a faded version of a prior blue?). Some had no tape at all.

In fact, one auction house sold Keith Hernandez's game used helmet for somewhere in the ballpark of $450.00. It had NO TAPE. Now, I go back to one of the original points I made in this thread. If you are going to "fake a game used helmet" who would it be? McReynolds - no. Hernandez - yes.

Back to the issue at hand -- proving black, not disproving blue -- I think we all know that if black did exist, it would have been somewhat of an anomaly. Given only a handful of helmets have hit the second market in the last 10 or so years (probably 10 or under), I think the chance of 2 of these (and I'm saying that it is a 2 out of 10 chance -- given 1 is the McReynolds) would be black would be a serious stretch.

[TNTtoys]

Re: Quite a bidding war

For the record, although I maintain that the McReynolds helmet is legitimate and that the "black tape issue" at hand has yet to be proven, I want to share something with the readers of the forum which will not be obvious here.

Today, with no questions asked, I refunded Todd his money, because he was not 100% comfortable with his purchase. As an ebay seller and valued member of this game used community, it is imperative to me that my customers are 100% happy with every single transaction. With me, it is not about being right or wrong. It's about maintaining a high ethical standard which I will not do anything to compromise.