Anyone Ever Encountered Repro/Fake Old Baseball Board Games?

[stone193]

Hi Butch

I totally agree with you - the return is just not worth the trouble.

But, I have always wondered if someone would take the time to fake this game:



Take the generic version:



I believe there may be some subtle differences between the two games - I don't own the "indoor" version - have the generic version.

I did pick up the "indoor" version sans the cover which was removed - which had the red boxes for the parts - the generic version I have doesn't have the boxes.

It does seem to be a lot of trouble - but ya never know - someone could take a relatively inexpensive board game and sell it to some unsuspecting buyer on ebay?

[cbcbcb]

Thanks for the info. There was a very rare and expensive game that just didn't seem to fit the place it was being sold, but I am now sure that it was definitely the real deal.

[jbsports33]

I agree there are a few games out there, but it would be very expensive to make reproductions of the very early games including the one above that I did see in the Cooperstown area a few summers ago. The football game and the similar baseball game are a little easier to reproduce because of the tin it was made from. The spare parts from low condition games or repro parts can be found to make one look real nice like the picture earlier in this post, below is real vintage version with box. The more original pieces and games you buy or find, the more familiar you can be about the material it was made of so you know what to look for in a reproduction.

Jimmy

[Butch7999]

Mike, good call -- sorry, four fakes. Typically overlooking the obvious, we forgot about this hilarious piece of garbage that was up on eBay a couple of months ago and can still be seen:
http://snipurl.com/1zu01e
We've long thought that game really is dangerous, though, since there's a difference in price of maybe a few thou' between the common $75.-$200. "green box" edition and the very pricey illustrated-cover Indoor edition. It would take only a decent laser printer to copy a good image of the Indoor cover, and minimal effort to slip it into the frame of the "green box" edition, in order to produce a far better fraud than the one we linked above. Be hands-on with the game and have a loupe with ya if you're considering buying the expensive edition.

One other thing, or group of things, that could potentially be a worry among games is any of the "WG" sets. Those represent a significant proportion of the relatively few really expensive games out there. Cards would be the cheapest and easiest of all to fake, a far simpler matter than shaped and lithographed tin, and of course with a potentially much higher return for the scammer. Have the card collectors on board run into fakes (as opposed to clearly marked commercial repros) of any game cards? We'd be very interested to hear, while hoping there's nothing to report...

[stone193]

Thanx Butch.

I agree on the "card" games with photos. One has to always be on the lookout.

I remember someone - I think it was in the early 90s - selling a bunch of Fan Craze cards that were fake.

[gnaz01]

Originally Posted by stone193

Hi Butch

I totally agree with you - the return is just not worth the trouble.

But, I have always wondered if someone would take the time to fake this game:



Take the generic version:



I believe there may be some subtle differences between the two games - I don't own the "indoor" version - have the generic version.

I did pick up the "indoor" version sans the cover which was removed - which had the red boxes for the parts - the generic version I have doesn't have the boxes.

It does seem to be a lot of trouble - but ya never know - someone could take a relatively inexpensive board game and sell it to some unsuspecting buyer on ebay?

Mike,

I have both of these games, as a matter of fact the Indoor version is my Avatar

I know that a "generic" version of the Indoor version exists, but it is still expensive. Maybe Dr. Mark Cooper could chime in here, he is probably the best known expert on these games, and his book that he wrote in INCREDIBLY informative!!

I love mine, and was the high bidder on the one on REA last night, and I could have bought it with a $100 bump but decided mine is in probably 90% shape range, whereas the one in REA was probably 60%-70% range and mine is in much better shape, just got auction frenzy though

IMHO, not sure if anyone would be able to get the Horner portraits to counterfeit this game, at least the Indoor version.

[Hot Springs Bathers]

Greg & Mike- One question I have had for years is how many team card sets were issued for the game? I have seen several years including Federal League team cards. Also, how long was the player photo edition offered?

[stone193]

Originally Posted by Hot Springs Bathers

Greg & Mike- One question I have had for years is how many team card sets were issued for the game? I have seen several years including Federal League team cards. Also, how long was the player photo edition offered?

Hi Mike

My answer would be based on two games that I own - you should have the AL, NL, FedL and the IntL. I have both 1913 and 1914 cards. The range of production for the generic game was from about 1913 to 1925 or 6? Don't know for the better version - may have been more limited?

But, I would like to defer to the vast knowledge and friendly replies - accompanied by a wealth of information that Butch and the guys at the Baseball Games Forum possess.

[Hot Springs Bathers]

Thanks Mike! Did each year's edition come with the rosters for all four leagues possible with of course the Feds only being two years?

I have always considered this the Cadillac for the post 1900 games with the player's edition of course the top of the ladder.

[stone193]

Originally Posted by Hot Springs Bathers

Thanks Mike! Did each year's edition come with the rosters for all four leagues possible with of course the Feds only being two years?

I have always considered this the Cadillac for the post 1900 games with the player's edition of course the top of the ladder.

Hi Mike

This is a tough one - again - I would defer to Butch on this one.

My knowledge is personal - two sets - one with a date - 1913 and one sans the date. Both have the same amount of leagues but one has 1913 rosters and the other has 1913 and 1914 players.

I think I heard one could get updates from the company? Not sure on that one.

The one thing we can all agree - if ya got the "player" version of the game?

You've got one of the best games out there!