How It All Began....

    So, where did the my souvenir helmet collection develop and begin?  My collection dates back all the way to a starting point in 1990 when I was a senior in high school.  It was the Teutopolis, Illinois, Sesquicentennial and the usual carnival atmosphere followed along with the celebration.  Among the rides and stands was the infamous Guess Your Pitching Speed game.  The game I played was even more simply made than the one at left.  It consisted of a net, a tarp to stop the ball, and a radar gun.  Nothing fancy about that game.  Amazingly enough, I was able to win on my very first attempt (No, I won't tell you my speed!) and of course the helmet I grabbed was none other than a Los Angeles Dodgers helmet (I bleed Dodger blue.).  I decided to play a few more times with my friends and I also walked away with a Pittsburgh Pirates helmet that evening.  Those two helmets are seen below, and this is where the story disappears for quite awhile. 

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​     It wasn't until I went to Tiger Stadium in 1998 to see a game, before it closed down the following year, that this story truly began again.  I got to see a historic ballpark and after the game a gentleman was selling souvenir helmets outside the stadium dirt cheap out of large, clear plastic bags.  I thought it might be neat to start a small collection of these helmets and if I remember correctly, I think I came home with ten helmets total that day but I have no clue which ones they are in my current collection.  I also discovered that same year a website called eBay, and thus an obsession with collecting souvenir helmets began.