Destroying HOF bats to make cards, good idea?

[mikesilvia]

I saw this awesome 4 barrel bat card on Ebay (Ty Cobb, Joe Dimaggio, Hack Wilson and Ken Griffey Jr). Beautiful card and I would love to have it, but I just can't help but feel they destroyed 4 great bats to make a few hundred cards. This is obviously better as it has the players inscriptions.

What is your feeling on destroying bats, uniforms, etc to create these cards?

[doniceage]

I look at it like this if someone wanted to preserve the whole bat they would bid more than what UD would be willing to pay. So basically the market forces come into play here. You don't see UD bidding on the Bond Balls to include them in cards as it would not be cost effective. So it all boils down to free market and the cost collector are willing to pay.

p.s. I rather have the bat in it full glory but can I afford that or would I rather play the LOTTO on packs to get something unique. Many ways to look at it but just get ready to watch more and more artifacts get destroyed to make cards down the road.

DON

[gotter1312]

again this goes to the same idea of historical documents being destroyed for presidential signatures. im against it but as don said its a free market. obviously some people dont feel these items are worth preserving as a whole

[gerald hewitt]

Also, through the aforementioned market forces, the collector is voting for the new packaging of the collectible which is more stable, easier to store and maintain, and more attractive and feasible to display.

[tmoneywon]

The companies are constantly looking to get card collectors to open their wallets.....it wasn't too long ago that it was considered defacing a card by having the player sign it. Now collectors don't want cards unless they are.

They changed the rules by introducing the Auto, then the GU, and Memoriblia. Who know what they have planned....maybe DNA cards..... unfortunatley it's the collector driving the entire industry.....I mean 500.00+++ a box, hundreds for a pack...... as long as the collectors keep opeing their wallets this will continue......BOTTOM LINE it's definatley a business not a HOBBY. If they can spend 10 grand on a bat but make millions on the splinters of that bat they will do it.

In the particular card there isn't even a signature (maybe the Hack Wilson is) but the others are stamps or impressions.

I mean having historic players together is one thing, than tossing in JR makes no sense. Also I feel having class players in the same group with a player like Ty Cobb is also horrible. He was a know racist, biggot and down right horrible person......he makes Barry Bonds look like a saint. But that is an entirly different disscussion. If anything I love the way some of the Hockey cards are going inregards to Dual Auto cards.....I love seeing great lines, stanley cups teamates together even Modern day with HOFers like putting ORR Espo Bucyk on a card. Or Messier Gretzky and Fuhr or even Howe Gretzy and Mario or Mario Jager and Crosby and Malkin. I mean atleast with hockey it makes sense......i can't figure out some of the groupings on cards that i've seen like the one mentioned.

[doniceage]

.i can't figure out some of the groupings on cards that i've seen like the one mentioned.

I don't think your the only one either that cannot figure out the groupings. As you say Hockey has a pretty good way of doing it.

DON

[ckinney]

I have felt this way for a while, what are we really gaining by destroying a bat to make a few cards?

The historian inside me cries, and but the hobby collector in me celebrates.

I think the worst one I heard of was a Josh Gibson Bat being broken down, there are only two known to exist; now only one complete.

The way I have come to peace in my own head is that now many people get to enjoy a little piece of history instead of just one person or a museam where it will never be touched.

It was the player that made the bat or jersey great: "Wonderboy" does not a Hall of Famer make.