Mantle (2) and Rose custom Jell-O boxes

[brian1961]

Originally Posted by Troy Kirk

Bob, I love your custom cards, but I really wish the Jello Mantle cards had some type of notation that they were not originals. If someone cut the Mantle off your box, it would be easy to misrepresent it as original, since the real 1963 Mantle has the same number 15.

Troy, I do see where you're coming from; however I for one do not want anything to mar that lovely creation's appearance. Still, Bob employs a cardboard that is stiff, strong, and has an off-white backside, which as you would surmise is vastly different than cereal box cardboard.

Let's be honest---there's only so much you can do to make such creations stupid-proof for someone who is, to be kind, gullible and looking for something he thinks is worth a fortune, but will only pay a few bucks for anyway so he can brag to anyone who'd listen to him crow that he got this unknown, rare, vintage Mantle for ten bucks, and now wants to surrender it, or sacrifice it, or be now willing to part with it for "only" ten thousand dollars.

You're right, some people would believe it's the real deal. Then again, some types believe we never went to the moon, the Holocaust never actually occurred, Elvis is still alive and well somewhere, and so on, and so on, ...

Trust me, very few people will actually buy one of Bob Lemke's gorgeous baseball or football card creations. I am one of those few, and am proud to own them, and will display certain ones beside the few originals I have. My family knows they are fantasy cards; anyone I show them to and asks will be told precisely what they are.

Now, if I could only somehow convince dear Bob to create, with all his creative might:


1933 DeLong Babe Ruth using that fabulous studio pose from 1920

1933 DeLong Dizzy Dean in a nice horizontal format

1960 Post Cereal Bobby Hull and Roger Maris

1961 Topps last series card of a missing number ---a beautiful horizontal pose of Roger Maris, Bob Cerv, and Mickey Mantle (the three pals from the central midwest who shared a home together that year) There's a color shot on eBay from time to time that would be perfect, as long as you can come up with a good succinct title. "M'n M Boys & Cerv", "Bombers Away"

Their radiant smiles in that photo would melt any Yankee lover, and cause even the most ardent Yankee hater to choke!

Just dreamin' again. ---Brian Powell