Introducing Helmars-Baseball-History-Art-Magazine w/Cobb Insert 1st Issue

[Leon]

I am happy to help spread the word of a new magazine put out recently by the Helmar Brewing folks. There is a lot of nice vintage info and recently produced vintage art. Here is a message from them-

"I’d like to introduce everybody to our new quarterly magazine, Baseball History & Art (BH&A). There is nothing else like it on the market and the inaugural issue is now available.

BH&A uses great-looking art and collectibles to illustrate stories on compelling ballplayers and events. Sure, there will be stories on the “big name” stars but we aim to highlight fascinating, lesser-known players. I have a special interest in the dead ball era and that will be reflected in the magazine.
Here are a few of the regular features:

• A die-cut, 7.5" dia. portrait insert in the style of the popular circa 1911 "Fan for a Fan" is included in every issue. The first die-cut card is of Ty Cobb.
• "Players We Ought to Know" features stories of lesser known, but interesting players. You may have cards of these fellows…and this is why they are important.
• Special exhibit themes brings great art and bios together. Enjoy learning about the details that make a card interesting.
• "Boneyards" features the history of a great, historic ball fields. Written by popular author Mark Schraf.
• Features such as "Finding Home", in which author Steve Hermanos tracks down and visits the apartment Christy Mathewson and J.J. McGraw shared in 1903. It is still there!
• "Ticket Stub" examines an important game, lavishly illustrated. Written by Dennis Snelling, a favorite author of mine.
• Interviews conducted by editor Mike Shannon. The first is with Marty Appel, who reminisces about Mickey Mantle and the boys as he knew them.
• Book reviews, also by Mike Shannon, put the hobby in review.

I strongly feel that readers of this board, of which I am a member, will enjoy taking a look at this new quarterly. It is printed on thick, top-quality art paper… a keeper! We’re also interested in quality writers, etc.

A fun and free digital preview is available at our website, http://www.helmarbrewing.com Subscriptions begin with the Fall issue.

Single copies of the inaugural, Summer issue are available at most Barnes & Noble newsstands or on eBay at-
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Helmars-Baseball-History-Art-Magazine-INAUGURAL-Issue-June-2015-art-paper-/111689895355?ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

Thanks for your time, Charles Mandel, publisher and owner of Helmar Brewing."



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[GregMitch34]

Got my copy, very cool, although aimed at selling more Helmars...still worth it if, like me, you value the "art" of the old cards highly....

[porkchops]

Picked up a copy tonight . I like and have a number of the Helmar cards and it looks like a good read .
Ken

[ajjohnsonsoxfan]

Super cool concept! Love the historical nature of the articles.

[sirraffles]

I'm really hoping you all can help me improve the magazine. Charles Mandel

[GregMitch34]

Anyone think the modern Helmar cards (the nicer ones) will rise in value in a few years much if at all? Of course, we don't know this about any cards, but guessing and explaining why? Even if just 10%?

[peterose4hof]

Just bought a copy today. Should make for interesting reading on the plane for my long flight from Florida to Seattle in a few weeks.

I also appreciate not seeing the "Helmar" listings in the eBay pre-war section anymore. Not sure if this was a decision by the manufacturer or if their hand was forced by the folks at eBay, but either way it's nice not to have to filter out all those items in my search results.

Best of luck to you Charles. There's no denying your company's creativity. It's not my cup of tea, but others seem to really like them.

[gnaz01]

Bought mine too!! I have one of the Boston Garter cards of Matty and it truly is gorgeous!!

[quinnsryche]

I got one also. Great artwork and very informative articles. A good afternoon's read.

[brian1961]

...

[1880nonsports]

as a 19th century guy - I own but a single modern item (unless there is a fake or two in my collection I don't know about) - and it's a Helmar colored cabinet "photo" of Sigmund Freud. Love it! Artwork and subject mix of the various offerings is quite good - some of the baseball examples are no less than spectacular and I can certainly see how many of the fantasy cards might be desired. No idea if they will appreciate and apparently some others have taken up a similar manufacturing task. I see them as a form of art.
While I have no plans to purchase other cards - I appreciate the head's up about the magazine and ill be looking for a copy of your inaugural issue. The visits back in time sound the most interesting.

ah heck! Feebay was the easiest choice so my copy will soon be on it's way to me.
I wish eBay would split into two sites - one for retail and amazon-like selling and the other an open auction site along the lines of what they started with. Makes much more sense......

[ErikV]

My copy just arrived in the mail. Looking forward to this new reading material.
I might just sign up for a subscription after I'm done reading this copy.

ErikV

[sirraffles]

Any suggestions for players that you'd like to see featured? Charles

[1880nonsports]

a feature about one of the d IS abled/handicapped players like Hoy or less frequently discussed athletes who overcame physical limitations to play in the major leagues?

[sirraffles]

Hoy would be perfect. There is one image of him in the first issue, in relation to McGraw. Second issue is 80% done but for the following one he would be great. Any other players?

[quinnsryche]

Louis Sockalexis and Addie Joss are always interesting subjects. Particularly if you can come up with rarely seen images. Ray Chapman and Wally Pipp also have human interest value.
Great magazine and good luck!

[RaidonCollects]

Any suggestions for players that you'd like to see featured? Charles

Big fan of your art cards, going to order a copy later. A great fit for the "Players We Ought to know" section is Bill Dinneen/Dineen. Interesting career, and highly overlooked.

Owen

[Redromad]

I just ordered my copy. I can't wait to get it!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[GregMitch34]

Mike Powers, R.I.P.

[sirraffles]

Tony... Joss is one of my favorites, though I seem to have many. Did you know that he invented the electronic scoreboard? Good choice. Sockalexis would be hard to find images of, but his story is compelling. Speaking of Native Americans, we just did a Helmar-T206 of a player from an Indian reservation, circa 1930. I did a special back for that card. Pipp is someone that was not on my radar at all.

Owen... Dinneen would be a very good fit for that column and exactly the sort of player that I love making art of. I'll put him in the spring, maybe feature a few Red Sox players.

Redromad... thank you for ordering a copy. I think you'll like it. Hopefully you'll all have some input on how we can improve it.

Hope everyone's weekend was great. This is probably my favorite time of year, everything hasn't turned brown. Charles

[Leon]

Got my magazine. It is great. Very well done. Thanks Charles!!

[1880nonsports]

enjoyed my copy.....

[sirraffles]

I appreciate it. Thanks Leon and everyone.

[tjv815]

I agree. Excellent magazine! The stories provide for some great info for us baseball lovers. Artwork is out of this world!
TJ

[Jay Wolt]

Rec'd my copy yesterday, very impressive. Quality graphics on thick paper.
Its a keeper!

[conor912]

Charles,
I finally got a chance to sit down with mine last night. Very nice job. I don't see myself ever owning any Helmar products, but I really enjoy looking at them and certainly appreciate the time that goes into creating them. I know there's a lot of purists on this board who think otherwise, but it's nice to see someone put their passion for the hobby and the game out there in a new and creative way. I look forward to future issues.

[sirraffles]

Thanks, guys. The Winter issue is being shipped to stores tomorrow. I did something fun for the cover, I hope that you'll find it interesting. Charles

[CW]

Any suggestions for players that you'd like to see featured? Charles

Rube Waddell.

Addie Joss was a good suggestion made earlier.

First time seeing this thread and I may have to pick up an issue.

[GregMitch34]

Charles, not looking to be a freeloader or anything but...as you know there is a good deal of resistance to the Helmars here, although everyone loves the graphics. I'm the guy who asked elsewhere this week about the Original Art cards. I wonder, as a promotion, that might entice many new customers, if you ever thought of offering one free "common" card to anyone who asked, just to get them hooked? I know some don't sell for much at all, and it might spark new buyers here....Just an idea....

[sirraffles]

I think Joss might be a subject before Waddell as we're considering a Cleveland theme for the Summer next. I like the story of how Joss invented the electronic scoreboard.

Greg, I have been thinking along the same lines, thanks. Instead of a regular common, though, I'm thinking about doing something unusual and only available with the magazine. It almost seems a shame NOT to. However, to include something with the copies available at B&N or the other bookstores is kind of a pain for a lot of reasons. Maybe I'll do something only with the subscriptions and individual copies that we sell. Any ideas?

[sirraffles]

Forgot to attach the new cover.

[GregMitch34]

Charles, your idea involving the magazine is fine, but I was thinking of the person here who hasn't even gone so far as buy the (great) magazine or even seen a card up close, let alone bought one. To my mind you need to entice a large number of people, get them hooked so they will purchase many more. It could be a giveaway (outside the magazine) or even via a couple of different special not-free offers, such as an Original Art card for a steeply discounted rate. Most people here probably fear either that 1) they won't love the card once they get it and/or 2) the purchase price now might prove to be too high later because so little to go on. But if you give away a card, or offer an Original Art card at low cost, you avoid that and maybe hook a bunch of new people. Of course, I could be wrong.

[CW]

Maybe I'll do something only with the subscriptions and individual copies that we sell. Any ideas?

You might consider doing a redemption card that the buyer mails in (you could possibly include a short survey of some sort) and then mail out the sample card to those interested. You could make the redemption card look like a vintage ticket or scorecard as well.

[RUKen]

Forgot to attach the new cover.

You've got Brown wearing the wrong uniform. He was only with the Tip-Tops in 1914, when their home and away uniforms both had "BROOKLYN" on the chest. The stylized B only appeared on the home uniform in 1915, when Brown was pitching for the Chicago Whales.

I have attached a photo of new manager Lee Magee in 1915, your cover, and then the team in their 1914 home uniforms:

[sirraffles]

I know. Lord, give me patience.

[peterb69]

First issue I stumbled across it at Barnes & Nobel.
Second Issue I bought on ebay
So far neither has 3rd issue. Where does one buy the 3rd issue? Thanks

[sirraffles]

Thanks, Peter. The 3rd issue will probably start showing up at some B&N locations by the end of next week. Sometime next week there will be copies available through eBay or directly from me, if you like.

I like CW's idea of a redemption card, it saves from trying to somehow include it within the magazine. Handling redemptions would be work but would end up being less expensive and less trouble, I suspect, in the long run. Need to think about this more. Hmmm.

[Hot Springs Bathers]

Charles is the magazine available on the B&N website or just in select stores? I have checked the store in Little Rock, AR many times and they have never carried it.

[sirraffles]

Hi Mike, I checked and it seems that B&N didn't send any copies to Little Rock for some reason. Imagine, this in the home town of Bill Dickey! I've tried to figure out how they determine allocations but it is beyond me. Some stores in out of the way (to my thinking) places get 18 copies while other stores get shut out. This month they will be evaluating the allocations and making adjustments but that won't take effect until the following issue. It does look like 100 or so independent stores will be adding it for the first time. I can get you a copy, if you like. Thanks for looking for it. Charles

[sayhey24]

Hi Charles,

I will look for the magazine when I hit the stores for holiday shopping next week. In the meantime, is there a way to order the first two issues? The magazine looks terrific!

Greg

[sirraffles]

Thank you, Greg. I can send you an online invoice for the first two issues (I'll pay shipping) if you message me your email address. Charles