BIG LEAGUE BASEBALLS

2012 Rawlings MLB All-Star Game Baseball Unveiled, Kansas City Royals Host

By BLB Admin on February 21st, 2012

Updated: We received the Official Rawlings 2012 All-Star Game ball and have now added pictures to the Museum of Baseballs. As predicted, lace colors are a bit different than those depicted in the rendering (see both versions below). Still awesome, and one of my personal favorites.

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Behold, the one-of-a-kind 2012 Rawlings MLB All-Star Ball, the first Major League baseball to feature blue and silver stitches:

Rawlings 2012 All-Star Game Baseball; Kansas City

Original Rendering: 2012 All-Star Game Ball, Kansas City Royals

First thought – awesome! This one will really stick out in your collection. It’s got bold Royal blue stamping and for the first time ever on Official Major League Baseballs, what appears to be Royal Blue and Silver laces.

It features the primary All-Star logo (left) as the commemorative stamp on the lower panel, only it’s all one shade. The secondary 2012 logo is pictured below/right. Neither features silver as a main color, but it appears to be part of the shaded side of the text. Works for me.

We’ve been looking forward to this ball since Kansas City was announced at the host. There were a number of options for the color combo. A medium or dark blue with a light, Carolina blue was a possibility that sure would have been unique. Black and blue, which also would have been a first, and finally blue and gold (yellow) like on the 2002 All-Star game ball from Milwaukee. My worst fear was they’d find some way to justify another red and blue laced ball – nothing wrong with those, but they’re by far the most common for All-Star Commemoratives. So I had not considered this exact combo.

Keep in mind, colors used in the artwork or rendering don’t always reflect the exact hue on the stitching. Last year’s 2011 All-Star Ball for the Arizona Diamondbacks appeared to be red and – almost a light brown gym rope colored lace. But it turned out to be red and a very light beige, almost off-white. Compare below:

2011 All-Star Baseball Rendering

2011 All-Star Game Ball

We’ll post actual pictures of the 2012 ball once we receive it in the next few weeks to compare. These baseballs should be available from dealers by early March. Check out the other commemorative special event baseballs planned for the 2012 Major League season here.

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And somewhat unrelated but please take note – if anyone is hoping to purchase the upcoming 2012 Japan Opening Series Baseball, it’s likely going to be impossible to find – unless you email us at BigLeagueBaseballs@Gmail.com. We’re working on a special order for this and the 2011 Florida Marlins Final Game ball at Sun Life Stadium through a Rawlings dealer. Both are extremely rare. Please let us know if you’re interested in either ball!