We’ve broken down the entire list of Rawlings Official Major League Commemorative Game Baseballs by team. Every ball that’s been used on the field is attributed to the team, or teams, that produced the ball or participated in the event. Consider this a running total. We’ll update the list as new baseballs are discovered and produced.

You can view the unofficial Master List of Rawlings Commemorative Major League Game Balls as well.

Below is a breakdown of each team’s official gamers. The intention is to help collectors seeking baseballs just for their favorite teams and players, as well as praise the teams with the most, and call out the worst. The totals:

1. New York Yankees (28)
2. Atlanta Braves (19)
3. St. Louis Cardinals (17)
4. Cleveland Indians, Arizona Diamondbacks (13)
5. Boston Red Sox, Houston Astros (12)
6. San Fransisco Giants (11)
7. New York Mets, San Diego Padres (10)
   
8. Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies (9)
9. Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim(8)
10. Florida Marlins, Texas Rangers (7)
    
11. Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland A’s, Seattle Mariners (6)
12. Cincinnati Reds, Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, Colorado Rockies (5)
13. Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals (3)
14. Montreal Expos, Washington Nationals (2)

UPDATED: The list of commemoratives by team is current through the end of the 2011 Major League Baseball Season.

As for the numbers, It should come as no surprise that the Yankees lead the way in Official Special Event and Commemorative Balls, and by a large margin. In addition to pure success on the field — playoff balls in the mid to late ’90s and World Series baseballs — the Bronx Bombers have also celebrated their past more than any other team. Is it a glutinous display of wealth, or a deserving tribute to the winningest, most successful team in the four major sports? Regardless, we’ve got to applaud any team that provides an opportunity for a special game ball. Which is why we must give an old Bronx cheer to…

The Kansas City Royals and Chicago Cubs. A lack of success is one thing, but there are plenty of perpetual losers with a fair share of commemorative game balls. The Royals and Cubs have no excuse (UPDATE: Tip of the Cap to the Royals for the 2011 Teams Unite for Joplin ball, which helped benefit victims of the devastating tornado in Joplin Mo. This still only brings them to three baseballs.)

Granted, neither team has received the post-20o4 All-Star Game Host bump, which guarantees at least four baseballs to the hosting team (All-Star Game, Home Run Derby, Home Run Derby Gold and All-Star Futures Game). We excuse the now defunct Montreal Expos and the newest team, the Nationals, although their stats could be combined. Also excused  are recent expansion teams, namely, the Colorado Rockies.

There is good news for some teams with lower totals. In the coming years, the Royals will host the next All-Star Game (2012), while the Mets (2013), Cubs (2014 – 100th Anniversary of Wrigley Field), Marlins (2015), Twins and Nationals have put in requests to host in the near future.

Below is the complete break down by team. Note that we did not include league-wide baseballs in individual team totals, such as Opening Day balls. The reason: We cannot verify that each team used a league-wide ball, and it’s also a special event that is in no way tied to a particular team. Additionally, canceled baseballs are excluded from team stats, but they’re noted below as some collectors may like to add them – if they can find them.

1. 1978 WS NYY (75th WS Logo) (1st Commemorative MLB Ball)
2. 1981 WS LAD
3. 1996 American League Mickey Mantle Game Ball (8/25/96)
4. 1996 AL Division Series Version 2 (TEX VS. NYY)
5. 1996 AL Ball – League Championship Series (BAL vs. NYY)
6. 1996 World Series (NO Commissioner Stamp) (NYY)
7. 1998 Joe Dimaggio Day (9/27/98)
8. 1998 American League ALDS (NYY vs. TEX, CLE vs. BOS)
9. 1998 American League ALCS (CLE vs. NYY)
10. 1998 World Series (NYY)
11. 1999 American League ALDS (NYY vs. TEX, CLE vs. BOS)
12. 1999 American League ALCS (NYY vs. BOS)
13. 1999 World Series (NYY)
14. 2000 World Series (NYY)
15. 2001 World Series (ARI)
16. 2001 World Series American Flag Ceremonial 1st Pitch
17. 2002 Reggie Jackson Day
18. 2003 Yankees 100th Anniversary Season
19. 2003 World Series (FLA)
20. 2004 Japan Opening Series (NYY vs. TB)
21. 2008 Yankee Stadium Final
22. 2008 All-Star Futures
23. 2008 Home Run Derby
24. 2008 Home Run Derby Gold
25. 2008 Home Run Derby Red
26. 2008 All-Star Game
27. 2009 Yankee Stadium Inaugural Season
28. 2009 World Series (NYY)

1. 1991 WS (MIN)
2. 1992 World Series (No commissioner stamp) (TOR)
3. 1995 World Series (ATL)
4. 1996 NL Division Series Version 2 (ATL vs. LAD)
5. 1996 NL Ball – League Championship Series (STL vs. ATL)
6. 1996 World Series (NO Commissioner Stamp) (NYY)
7. 1997 NL NLCS (FLA vs. ATL)
8. 1998 National League NLDS (ATL vs. CHC, HOU vs. SD)
9. 1998 National League NLCS (ATL vs. SD)
10. 1999 Hank Aaron 715th HR 25th Anniversary
11. 1999 National League NLDS (ATL vs. HOU, ARI vs. NYM)
12. 1999 National League NLCS (ATL VS. NYM)
13. 1999 World Series (NYY)
14. 2000 Month of the Americas – Spring Training “World Tour” (Venezuela: ATL vs. TB)
15. 2000 MLB Turner Field Edition All Star Ball
16. 2000 All-Star Futures Ball
17. 2000 Home Run Derby Ball
18. 2000 All-Star Game Baseball
19. 2011 Civil Rights Game PHI @ ATL (Same as 2010 STL @ CIN Ball)
    

1. 1982 WS (STL)
2. 1985 WS (KC)
3. 1987 WS (MIN)
4. 1996 NL Division Series 1 (SD vs. STL)
5. 1996 NL Ball – League Championship Series (STL vs. ATL)
6. 2004 World Series (BOS)
7. 2005 Busch Stadium Final Season (Final Home stand Ball)
8. 2006 Busch Stadium Inaugural Game
9. 2006 Busch Stadium Inaugural Season
10. 2006 World Series (STL)
11. 2009 All-Star Futures Game
12. 2009 Home Run Derby
13. 2009 Home Run Derby Gold
14. 2009 All-Star Game
15. 2010 Civil Rights Game (May 15th STL @ CIN)
16. 2011 Teams Unite for Joplin – KC vs. STL, June 17-20
17. 2011 World Series (STL)
    

1. 1981 All-Star Baseball
2. 1994 American League Cleveland Jacobs Field Inaugural Season Ball
3. 1995 World Series (ATL)
4. 1996 AL Division Series 1 (CLE vs. BAL)
5. 1997 AL Ball – ALCS (CLE vs. BAL)
6. 1997 All-Star Season Cleveland
7. 1997 All-Star Game Baseball
8. 1997 World Series (FLA)
9. 1998 American League ALDS (NYY vs. TEX, CLE vs. BOS)
10. 1998 American League ALCS (CLE vs. NYY)
11. 1999 American League ALDS (NYY vs. TEX, CLE vs. BOS)
12. 2000 Hall of Fame Game Arizona vs. Cleveland (Dated “Hall of Fame Game 2000″)
13. 2001 Month of the Americas – Spring Training “World Tour” (CLE vs. HOU in Venezuela)

1. 1998 Arizona Diamondbacks Opening Day Ball
2. 1999 National League NLDS (ATL vs. HOU, ARI vs. NYM)
3. 2000 Hall of Fame Game Arizona vs. Cleveland (Dated “Hall of Fame Game 2000″)
4. 2000 Month of the Americas – Spring Training “World Tour” (Hermosillo, Mexico ARI VS. LAA)
5. 2001 Month of the Americas – Spring Training “World Tour” (OAK vs. ARI in Hermosillo)
6. 2001 World Series American Flag Ceremonial 1st Pitch
7. 2001 World Series (ARI)
8. 2011 Spring Training Inaugural Season, Salt River Fields at Talking Stick (Used all spring by Diamondbacks & Rockies)
9. 2011 All-Star Futures Game
10. 2011 All-Star Home Run Derby Baseball
11. 2011 All-Star Home Run Derby Gold Baseball (Unused version)
12. 2011 All-Star Home-Run Derby Real 24K Gold Baseball (Actual Derby Ball)
    
13. 2011 All-Star Game Baseball

1. 1986 WS (NYM)
2. 1998 American League ALDS (NYY vs. TEX, CLE vs. BOS)
3. 1999 American League Fenway Park Edition All Star Ball
4. 1999 Home Run Derby
5. 1999 All-Star Game Baseball
6. 1999 American League ALDS (NYY vs. TEX, CLE vs. BOS)
7. 1999 American League ALCS (NYY vs. BOS)
8. 2000 Month of the Americas – Spring Training “World Tour” (BOS vs. HOU in Dominican Republic)
9. 2004 World Series (BOS)
10. 2005 Red Sox “2004 WS Champs” Opening Day Ball
11. 2007 World Series (Red Sox)
12. 2008 Opening Series Japan

1. 1986 All-Star Game Baseball
2. 1998 National League NLDS (ATL vs. CHC, HOU vs. SD)
3. 1999 Houston Astrodome’s Final Game Oct. 3, 1999 (35 Years 1965-1999)
4. 1999 National League NLDS (ATL vs. HOU, ARI vs. NYM)
5. 2000 Month of the Americas – Spring Training “World Tour” (BOS vs. HOU in Dominican Republic)
6. 2000 Houston Enron Field Inaugural Year Ball
7. 2001 Month of the Americas – Spring Training “World Tour” (CLE vs. HOU in Venezuela)
8. 2004 Serie De Primavera Ball (Spring Series) Marlins Astros
9. 2004 All-Star Futures
10. 2004 Home Run Derby
11. 2004 All-Star Game Baseball
12. 2005 World Series (CHI Sox)

1. 1984 All-Star Game Baseball
2. 1989 WS (OAK)
3. 1997 NL Ball Division Series (SF vs. FLA)
4. 1999 NL Final Series at Candlestick Park “Tell It Goodbye!” (September 28-30)
5. 2000 Pac Bell SF Inaugural Game
6. 2002 World Series (ANA)
7. 2007 All-Star Futures
8. 2007 Home Run Derby
9. 2007 Home Run Derby Gold
10. 2007 All-Star Game
11. 2010 World Series

1. 1986 WS (NYM)
2. 1996 Primera Serie – Monterrey, Mexico SD vs. NYM
3. 1999 National League NLDS (ATL vs. HOU, ARI vs. NYM)
4. 1999 National League NLCS (ATL VS. NYM)
5. 2000 Japan Opening Series Opening Day Ball (Cubs-Mets)
6. 2000 World Series (NYY)
7. 2003 Serie De Primavera Mets Dodgers (Spring Series)
8. 2008 Shea Stadium Final Season
9. 2009 Citi Bank Ballpark Inaugural Season
10. 2010 San Juan Series (FLA. vs. NYM)

1. 1984 WS (DET)
2. 1992 All-Star Game Baseball (1st Multi-Colored Laces)
3. 1996 Primera Serie – Monterrey, Mexico SD vs. NYM
4. 1996 NL Division Series 1 (SD vs. STL)
5. 1998 National League NLDS (ATL vs. CHC, HOU vs. SD)
6. 1998 National League NLCS (ATL vs. SD)
7. 1998 World Series (NYY)
8. 2001 Month of the Americas – Spring Training “World Tour” (S.D. vs. COL in Culiacan)
9. 2001 Tony Gwynn Final Game Ball
10. 2008 Opening Day China Series (Spring) (LAD vs. S.D.)

1. 1979 WS (PIT) (76th WS Logo)
2. 1983 WS (BAL)
3. 1993 All-Star Game Baseball
4. 1995 Cal Ripken Record Games Streak 2130, 2131 (Orange Laces)
5. 1996 AL Division Series 1 (CLE vs. BAL)
6. 1996 AL Ball – League Championship Series (BAL vs. NYY)
7. 1997 AL Ball Division Series (BAL vs. SEA)
8. 1997 AL Ball – ALCS (CLE vs. BAL)
9. 2001 MLB Cal Ripken Farewell Game

1. 1984 WS (DET)
2. 1999 AL Tiger Stadium Final Game
3. 2000 Comerica Park Inaugural GAME (Dated)
4. 2000 Comerica Park Inaugural Season (No date)
5. 2005 All-Star Futures Game
6. 2005 Home Run Derby
7. 2005 Home Run Derby Gold Ball
8. 2005 All-Star Game Ball
9. 2006 World Series (STL)

1. 1979 WS (PIT) (76th WS Logo)
2. 1994 All-Star Game Baseball
3. 2000 Three Rivers Stadium Ball
4. 2001 Month of the Americas – Spring Training “World Tour” (TB vs. PIT in Mexico City)
5. 2001 PNC Park Opening Day Ball
6. 2006 All-Star Futures Game
7. 2006 All-Star HR Derby
8. 2006 All-Star HR Derby Gold Ball
9. 2006 All-Star Game

1. 1980 WS (PHI)
2. 1983 WS (BAL)
3. 1993 World Series (TOR)
4. 1996 All-Star Game Baseball
5. 2003 Phillies Veteran Stadium Final Game
6. 2004 Phillies Citizen Bank Inaugural Season
7. 2008 World Series (PHI)
8. 2009 World Series (NYY)
9. 2011 Civil Rights Game PHI @ ATL (Same as 2010 STL @ CIN Ball)

1. 1978 WS NYY (75th WS Logo) (1st Commemorative World Series Ball)
2. 1980 All-Star Ball
3. 1981 WS LAD
4. 1988 WS (LAD)
5. 1996 NL Division Series Version 2 (ATL vs. LAD)
6. 2003 Serie De Primavera Mets Dodgers (Spring Series)
7. 2008 Opening Day China Series (Spring) (LAD vs. S.D.)
8. 2010 MLB Taiwan Games (LA Dodgers vs. CPBL, Exhibition Games)

1. 1989 All-Star Game Baseball
2. 2000 Month of the Americas – Spring Training “World Tour” ( Hermosillo, Mexico ARI VS. ANA)
3. 2002 World Series (LAA)
4. 2010 All-Star Futures Game
5. 2010 Home Run Derby
6. 2010 Home Run Derby Gold
7. 2010 All-Star Game
8. 2011 Angels 50th Anniversary Baseball
   

1. 1997 NL Ball Division Series (SF vs. FLA)
2. 1997 NL Ball – NLCS (FLA vs. ATL)
3. 1997 World Series (FLA)
4. 2003 World Series (FLA)
5. 2004 Serie De Primavera Ball (Spring Series) Marlins Astros
6. 2010 San Juan Series (FLA. vs. NYM)
   
7. 2011 Final Game for Florida Marlins, Sun Life Stadium – 9/28/2011

1. 1995 All-Star Game Baseball
2. 1996 AL Division Series Version 2 (TEX VS. NYY)
3. 1998 American League ALDS (NYY vs. TEX, CLE vs. BOS)
4. 1999 American League ALDS (NYY vs. TEX, CLE vs. BOS)
5. 2001 Opening Day San Juan Puerto Rico (TOR vs. TEX)
6. 2010 World Series (SF)
7. 2011 World Series (STL)

1. 1987 All-Star Game Baseball
2. 1988 WS (LAD)
3. 1989 WS (OAK)
4. 1990 WS (CIN)
5. 2001 Month of the Americas – Spring Training “World Tour” (OAK vs. ARI in Hermosillo)
6. 2008 Opening Series Japan (BOS vs. OAK)

1. 1983 All-Star Game Baseball (50th AS Game)
2. 1991 Comiskey Park Inaugural Season (1st Special Event Commemorative)
3. 2003 All-Star Futures Game
4. 2003 Home Run Derby
5. 2003 All-Star Game Baseball
6. 2005 World Series (CHI Sox)

1. 1982 WS (STL)
2. 2000 Milwaukee County Stadium Final Game Ball
3. 2001 Milwaukee Miller Park Opening Day Ball
4. 2002 All-Star Futures
5. 2002 Home Run Derby
6. 2002 All-Star Game

1. 1979 AS SEA (50TH AS Game) (1st Commemorative AS Ball)
2. 1997 AL Ball Division Series (BAL vs. SEA)
3. 1999 SafeCo Field Inaugural Game
4. 2001 All-Star Futures Game
5. 2001 Home Run Derby
6. 2001 All-Star Game Ball

1. 1991 All-Star Game Baseball
2. 1992 World Series (No commissioner stamp) (TOR)
3. 1993 World Series (TOR)
4. 2001 Opening Day San Juan Puerto Rico (TOR vs. TEX)
5. 2005 Toronto Rogers Center Opening Day Ball

1. 1988 All-Star Game Baseball
2. 1990 WS (CIN)
3. 2002 Cincinnati Reds Riverfront Stadium Final Game
4. 2003 Cincinnati Great American Ballpark Opening Day
5. 2010 Civil Rights Game (May 15th STL @ CIN)

1. 1998 NL All-Star Game Colorado Edition
2. 1998 All-Star Game Baseball
3. 2001 Month of the Americas – Spring Training “World Tour” (S.D. vs. COL in Culiacan)
4. 2007 World Series (Red Sox)
5. 2011 Spring Training Inaugural Season, Salt River Fields at Talking Stick (Used all spring by Diamondbacks & Rockies)

1. 1985 All-Star Game Baseball
2. 1987 WS (MIN)
3. 1991 WS (MIN)
4. 2009 HHH Metrodome Final season
5. 2010 Minnesota Target Field Inaugural Season

1. 1998 Tampa Bay Devil Rays Inaugural Season Baseball
2. 2000 Month of the Americas – Spring Training “World Tour” (Venezuela: ATL vs. TB)
3. 2001 Month of the Americas – Spring Training “World Tour” (TB vs. PIT in Mexico City)
4. 2004 Japan Opening Series (NYY vs. TB)
5. 2008 World Series (PHI)

1. 1990 All-Star Game Baseball
2. 1998 National League NLDS (ATL vs. CHC, HOU vs. SD)
3. 2000 Japan Opening Series Opening Day Ball (CHC vs. NYM)

1. 1980 WS (PHI)
2. 1985 WS (KC)
3. 2011 Teams Unite for Joplin – KC vs. STL, June 17-20

1. 1982 All-Star Game Baseball
2. 2004 Expos Puerto Rico Series Ball

1. 2005 Washington Nationals Inaugural Season
2. 2008 DC Park Inaugural Season

1. 2001 Opening Day Ball “2001” (NL Only)
2. 1997 NL Jackie Robinson 50th Anniversary (Opening Day)

1. 2001 100th Anniversary of American League (AL Only)
2. 1997 AL Jackie Robinson 50th Anniversary (Opening Day)

1. 2010 Opening Day (Ceremonial 1st Pitch)
2. 2009 Opening Day
3. 2008 Welcome Back Veterans July 4th
4. 2008 MLB Opening Day
5. 2007 MLB Jackie Robinson 60th Ann.
6. 2007 MLB Opening Day
7. 2006 MLB Opening Day
8. 2005 MLB Opening Day “April”
9. 2005 Jackie Robinson Day
10. 2004 Roberto Clemente Day Baseball (All MLB 9/21/04)
11. 2004 Opening Day Game Ball
12. 2002 Memorial Day American Flag Ball (1st Pitch Ball)
13. 2002 July 4th American Flag (1st Pitch Ball)
14. 2002 September 11th, 2002 American Flag (1st Pitch Ball)
15. 2002 Opening Day American Flag (1st Pitch Ball)
16. 2001 4th of July American Flag
17. 2000 4th of July American Flag Ball
18. 2000 Millennium Edition Inaugural Game Ball
    
19. 2000 Hall of Fame Game (“2000″ – Use Unknown)
    
20. 1990s Spring Training Official MLB Ball (Years Unknown)
21. 1986 Red-Stamped All-Star Game Ball (Use unconfirmed. Houston Astros hosted)
    

CANCELED, UNKNOWN OR PRACTICE-USED

1. 2007 Tampa Bay Rays Launch Party “November 8 2007″ (Used in 2008 Spring Training Games)
2. 2003 Japan Opening Series OAK vs. SEA (Unused / Canceled)
3. 2001 World Series Version 1 (Unused / Redesigned after 9/11)
4. 2001 MLB Cal Ripken Final Game (Unused / Postponed)
5. 2001 Tony Gwynn Final Game Version 2 (Use Unknown)
   
6. 2000 World Series “Subway Series” with NYM, NYY Logos added (Game use unknown, Used in Practice)
   
7. 1994 World Series (Unused / Strike-Ended Season)
   
8. 1992 World Series Version 1 – Faye Vincent Commissioner’s stamp (Unused / Replaced)

Last year, according to our 2010 post date, the renderings came out early in the season and the baseballs were in our hands in late May. This season however, we had not seen the renderings that are typically made available to dealers and officials around the league.

After a few emails yesterday, we were able to acquire images of all three 2011 All-Star Weekend Special Event baseballs. These still may not be available to purchase for a few more weeks, but at least we now know what they’ll look like:

Rawlings 2011 All-Star Futures Game Baseball

Rawlings 2011 Home Run Derby Baseball

Rawlings 2011 Home Run Derby Gold Ball

As far as logos, they’ve decided to stick with the Futures Game concept from last year – which I thought was big, bold and a nice deviation from the text heavy logos a few previous years. We’ll reserve judgement until we see the actual ball. Last year, the rendering of the ball made the logo look small, but when the baseball arrived it was much larger and stood out. Hoping for the same this time.

For the Home Run Derby Logo, they appear to have incorporated the 2011 All-Star Game logo in the background, and carried over the same font with that Arizona Diamondbacks snake-tail lettering – well done there. A return to the crossed bats logo as well for the first time since 2007.

Major League Baseball had branded the Home Run Derby well and remained consistent since the very first year the logo was used on an Official Major League Baseball, as you can see on the 2000 HR Derby ball here. The crossed bat logo appeared on every ball in some fashion until the 2008, 2009 and 2010 Home Run Derby baseballs did their own things.

We’ll update this post in a few weeks once we have the actual commemorative baseballs on hand.

2010 Rawlings All-Star futures Game Baseball

Rawlings 2010 Home Run Derby Baseball, Los Angeles

Rawlings 2010 Home Run Derby Gold Baseball, Los Angeles

UPDATE: New images are posted showing the actual balls for the 2010 All-Star Futures Game, 2010 Home Run Derby, and the 2010 Home Run Derby Gold “Money” Baseball. Note the games and baseballs are sponsored in part by State Farm for the Home Run Derby and XM Satellite Radio for the Futures Game.

We also have better pictures of the 2010 All-Star Game and Target Field Inaugural Game Baseballs in the Museum of Baseballs.

Rawlings 2010 All-Star Baseball

Rawlings 2010 Twins Target Field Inaugural Season Ball

We have a few of these 2010 All-Star and Target Field baseballs New in Box, available for trade or sale if anyone still needs one, though we have no official online shopping system set up yet. We’re slackers. If you’re interested, send us an email.

Big League Baseballs has uncovered a key turning point in the history of the Mid-Summer Classic’s game ball, and now we offer you the exclusive interview and story about how today’s colorful baseballs came to be, and how one fan and team employee, along with one Hall of Famer, played an integral part in the reincarnation of multi-color laced Rawlings Official Major League Baseballs.

The official regular season game balls used in Major League Baseball today may seem cold, corporate and lacking in aesthetic appeal and imagination to most autograph and memorabilia collectors. The  Rawlings Official RO-MLB game ball has remained unchanged since 2000. It features blue ink, the iconic MLB batter logo on the lower panel (a big design upgrade compared to the lower panels of previous AL and NL balls), and the official stamping with commissioner Allan “Bud” Selig’s facsimile signature. The Majors switched to a universal game ball after dissolving the American and National League presidents’ offices, and ended a near 100-year run of individual league balls for both leagues. But regular season balls haven’t always been so bland.

One of the great cosmetic highlights of vintage Reach and Spalding baseballs of yesteryear were multi-colored laces, blue and red for the American League and black and red for the National League. Though it was only a short time before the leagues switch to all red laces on their respective baseballs, those vintage balls represent an era of America’s pastime and vintage memorabilia that is prized by serious collectors. The Majors went nearly 60 years without deviating from those red laces (with perhaps the exception of this new find from our last post). That was until one man, with a passion for baseball nostalgia and an astute marketing mind, got a chance to leave his stamp on the Major League’s Official Game ball.

Andy Strasberg, currently the owner of ACME Sports Marketing in San Diego, developed his baseball roots as a young New York Yankees fan living in Bronx, NY in the 1950′s. He is known by his peers as Roger Maris’s number one fan, and it’s hard to argue that considering Maris himself acknowledged it when Strasberg had the honor of meeting him in 1960s. Strasberg and Maris developed an uncommon friendship between fan and legendary sports star, one that perhaps helped pave the way for him to turn his love of the game into a successful career in the biz of baseball. The story of Strasberg and Maris is well documented and stands alone; what makes Andy an icon to BigLeagueBaseballs.com is his own contribution to the game and to the evolution of the Official Game Ball

In 1978, when Andy Strasberg was working as Padres Director of Promotions under VP of Marketing Elten Schiller, the organization was awarded the right to host the Mid-Summer Classic. With Schiller in charge of organizing the Padres end of the game, Mr. Strasberg was given limited responsibilities as a relative newcomer to the front office. But from that point forward he began developing ideas for when his time would come to lead the team’s marketing initiative for such an celebrated event.

MLB Official Game Balls were destined for a revolutionary change when Strasberg and the San Diego Padres ball club learned in 1989 that they’d been awarded the right to host the 1992 All-Star Game. Strasberg was put in charge of organizing and facilitating the festivities on behalf of the Padres and he coordinated efforts in MLB front offices in New York.

Andy was prepared, he referred to his list of ideas he had been developing since the ’78 game. And the one idea that makes Strasberg a legend at Big League Baseballs? It was simply to have the laces replicate the colors of team. “I took the old red and blue stitch baseball and translated it to a new All-Star Game ball,” remembers Strasberg.

Brilliant. Simple, yes, but brilliant.

Andy proposed a dozen new ideas to top-level folks at Major League Baseball, and, “to my shock and astonishment, they said ‘yes’ to all.” Andy notes that the toughest idea for MLB to accept was the radical change to the game ball.

“People in MLB thought the ball might be a distraction and a problem. I thought that was ludicrous. We tried three or four different types of baseballs. The first one had black stitching. I said ‘it’s not right.’ The next had blue stitching, then orange. We went through a number of prototypes. They finally made a protoype I liked, and made 6 dozen that had Padres colors.”

And BigLeagueBaseballs.com is fortunate enough to have the evidence of these protypes (a BIG thank you to Andy Strasberg):

Strasberg continues: “The agreement was if Tony Gwynn took batting practice and didn’t have a problem seeing and hitting the ball, they’d allow it. He took BP, and I asked him if he had any problem seeing them. He said ‘no, no problem whatsoever.’ That’s how those baseballs became a reality. It started in San Diego in ’92 and it has carried on ever since.”

Three Rawlings 1992 All-Star Game Prototype Baseballs, with the Official Game Ball pictured at top.

Strasberg received little recognition for the idea to bring back multi-colored stitching to the game’s Official Baseball. Several of the other innovations that he played a part in were coveted by those fortunate enough to attend the game. One of those included a bit of a “prank” -  sneaking a girl into the outfield, with hair tucked under a ball cap, to shag fly balls with the guys during the Homerun Derby. “She eventually took off her hat, letting her pony tail fall out, and the crowd went crazy,” said Strasberg. “She was a softball player, and was out there catching line drives.”

Some more collectibles made possible by Strasberg: The Official Game Programs: “I wanted the program to play take me out to the ball game; open it up, it does.” And when the program is opened up certain page, a “popup” presents fans with a foldout baseball card. Strasberg’s contributions to baseball memorabilia also include perhaps the most unique Rawlings Official Commemorative Game Baseball ever made, the 1996 La Primera Serie Official National League (Coleman stamped) game ball.

Rawlings 1996 Baseball La Primera Serie, Monterrey, Mexico

Yes, it features multi-colored laces, all thanks to Strasberg’s breakthrough concept in 1992, which opened the door for such colorful creativity to be brought back into the game. The red and green laces were a no-brainer for Andy, who wanted to replicate the host nation’s official colors and baseballs. The red stamping was also a first on a regular season game ball.

This is the first NL commemorative gamer ever used, and it commemorated the first MLB regular season games in Mexico. Strasberg noted that at that time, these weren’t made for “merchandising” as much as they were used to truly make the games that much more special.

Today, Strasberg continues to contribute to the game. As the founder of Fantography, he enables fans to share their personal photographs of America’s favorite pastime with other fans. Strasberg encourages all fans to contribute their pictures from their trips ballpark, and he notes that “some of the world’s best baseball photos are in shoeboxes all over the word.” For a detailed story behind Fantography, check this post on Sports Then and Now.

Strasberg’s connection to the game, and specifically to Roger Maris, also landed him a technical advisory role on the set of the Billy Crystal directed HBO special 61*. His responsibilities for the production were to assure the film’s great attention to detail as it retold Maris’s historic home run record breaking season. He appeared in the film in a small role, and also helped commission Fotoball, (which along with Rawlings was a subsidiary of K2 Inc.) to make 10 dozen official-style American League Joe Cronin-stamped baseballs.  They were real baseballs complete with leather covers, replicated Spalding-Reach logos and Cronin facsimile signatures. And they were used as the official baseballs in the film. And, thanks again to Andy, one of these official movie props is pictured:

A prop from the Billy Crystal HBO Film 61* - Reach AL Cronin Reproduction Baseball

Awesome! Check out the trailer for 61*, at about the 18 second mark, you can see one of these reproduction baseballs in action:

Finally, one last note, as if Mr. Strasberg hasn’t provided Big League Baseballs with enough amazing experiences at baseball’s highest level, we’ve found a book that he co-authored: Baseball’s Greatest Hit: The Story of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.“

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Now just think where commemorative MLB game baseballs would be today without Andy’s contribution? All of the All-Star balls from 1992-2010 feature multi-color laces. After Strasberg brough his Padres orange and bright blue laces into the game, baseballs have been stitched with black, yellow, purple, green, navy blue, dark blue, silver/gray and sandstone/off-white. And, we can count at least nine commemorative MLB game balls with either multi-colored laces or balls that feature lace colors other than the traditional red:

1. 1995 Cal Ripken consecutive games record “8″ ball
2. 1996 La Primera Serie, Monterrey, Mexico ball
3. 1996 Mickey Mantle Day ball
4. 1998 Joe DiMaggio Day ball
5. 1999 All-Star Game Home Run Derby, Boston, ball
6. 2002 MLB Opening Day ball
7. 2002 Memorial Day ball
8. 2002 4th of July ball
9. 2002 9/11 ball

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BigLeagueBaseballs.com would like to thank Andy for all the time he took to share his amazing stories with the site, and all the pictures he contributed. And on behalf of baseball memorabilia collectors all over the world, a collective admiration and a big thank you for his incredible contributions of the evolution of Major League Baseball’s Official Game Ball – where would commemorative baseballs be without his reintroduction of multi-colored laces to the Official All-Star Game Ball? Check our forum to discuss this and other stories about Official Game Balls and other sports memorabilia.

Rawlings 2007 Jackie Robinson Day Baseball

There are a few surprises for the 2010 MLB Baseball Season. The first being the Jackie Robinsion Day, April 15, 2010 commemorative ball, the fifth installment of its kind. The second is the 2010 Opening Day ball, which has become an annual special event ball produced by Rawlings and used by most teams to kickoff each season since 2004 – and a number of years before that.

So what’s the surprise about the 2010 Opener? Well, like the Jackie Robinson commemorative, these balls will be Ceremonial 1st Pitch baseballs – they won’t be used in the actual games. They’re still official MLB commemorative game balls, they’ll be on the field, albeit briefly. Fans just won’t be able to look forward to snagging a special game-used foul ball or home run ball on either day.

Including the two balls already released and covered in previous news posts on BigLeagueBaseballs.com – the 2010 MLB All-Star Game Baseball and the Twins Target Field Inaugural Season Baseball – there will be a total of eight commemorative baseballs used this year. They are the 2010 All-Star Futures Game, 2010 All-Star Game Home Run Derby, 2010 Home Run Derby Gold (Money) Ball, and the 2010 World Series Baseball. All of these will be used in the actual game or event for which they commemorate.

2010 Rawlings Official All-Star Game Bal

So why would Major League Baseball take the special events balls out of the game? One certainly has to suspect the financial implications of producing commemorative game balls for the big leagues. By making the Jackie Robinson Day and Opening Day balls “Ceremonial 1st Pitch” balls, they are still going to be collectors’ items, and still very worthwhile to memorabilia shops and online dealers of signed baseballs. But they’ll likely be produced in much lower quantities, and most will go straight into individual boxes for retail, as opposed to the egg crate style dozen boxes that get shipped out by the thousands to every MLB team.

It can be assumed that the potential profit margin will increase and the risk of Rawlings Sporting Goods losing money on special event baseballs will be much lower. This approach does enable the possibility to include special event baseballs that otherwise would have never been stitched, stamped and shipped to ballparks and sports dealers throughout the baseball-loving world.

Proposed artwork for the 2008 commemorative baseballs, which included a Jackie Robinson Day ball that was eventually scrapped.

In 2008, artwork was completed and plans were proposed for a Jackie Robinson Day ball to be used in the Majors, but the ball was never green-lit. Robinson Day baseballs had previously been used in 1997, (both the AL and NL) 2005 and 2007. Perhaps, had the 2008 baseball been considered for only the Ceremonial 1st Pitch and retail sales, it would have made the cut and been added to the Major League roster.

There will be those who consider such baseballs as glorified souvenirs; if they never get rubbed up with mud and pitched to batters during real, live Major League games, are they really considered game balls? That argument won’t prevent BigLeagueBaseballs.com from acquiring its fair share of the collectible balls. Count on us for a dozen of each, Mr. Rawlings!

So where is Major League Baseball coming up short for 2010? There are at least five opportunities for special event game balls that we feel deserve serious consideration. In our next blog post, we’ll discuss the commemorative game balls you’d see for 2010 if Big League Baseballs were in charge (and given an unlimited budget.)

The 2010 Rawlings Official All-Star Game Ball, available for purchase in late March.

As predicted by many baseball collectors, the ball is practically a mirror image of the 2009 St. Louis Cardinals All-Star ball. It features Blue and Red laces and the all-too familiar dark blue print found on nearly all Special Event and Commemorative Game Baseballs today (the annual gold-stamped World Series baseballs being the obvious exception).

It’s exciting to see the very first commemorative game ball released for 2010, and we look forward to getting a few dozen boxes at Big League Baseballs. However, this news is unfortunate for those who anticipate a new and unique ball each year. Back to back years of the same model of ball is especially disappointing to those collectors who watched for each year’s All-Star baseball release since the mid-90′s. From 1995-1997, avid baseball collectors saw three identical color patterns in a row of red and blue lace plus blue ink, and a monotonous five in only six years from 1995-2000 (Texas, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Boston and Atlanta). Bleh! Perhaps some uniform color changes are in order.

Hey, at least there’s a positive for Rawlings Sporting Goods, which probably has plenty of extra bulk blue yarn spools lying around the factory. They’ll certainly have no concerns about keeping up with production for this one, at least as far as materials’ inventory is concerned. They probably have thousands of blanks already stitched up from last year as well.

A better look at the multi-color version of 2010 MLB All-Star Game logo.

First shipments of cases of the 2010 All-Star ball should begin arriving at retail outlets in late March or early April. Look for BigLeagueBaseballs.com to offer a few.

Notes:

• The Angels previously hosted the game in 1967 and 1989.
• According to a release from Major League Baseball,  after 2007, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig said he was determined to go back to the traditional rotation of one year at an AL site and the next at an NL site.
• The Angels applied for the 2008 game, but Selig opted for the sentimental value of playing that one at old Yankee Stadium, since new Yankee Stadium was set to open in time for the 2009 season.
• The Angels will have hosted the last two All-Star Games in Los Angeles. The Dodgers haven’t hosted an All-Star Game since 1980.
• The last time the Angels hosted the game Bo Jackson and Wade Boggs hit back-to-back homers to open the bottom of the first inning. Jackson, who was also a star running back for the NFL’s LA Raiders, was the MVP.

Rawlings Official All-Star Game Baseballs

BigLeagueBaseballs.com now has its first completed photo gallery, the Rawlings Official All-Star Baseball gallery in the Museum of Baseballs. You can visit this gallery here.

Contained in this gallery is the complete run – a sample of every single game ball used for MLB All-Star games – from 1979-2009. The 2010 Rawlings All-Star Game ball (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, hosting)  will be added as soon as its released.

Rawlings and Major League Baseball began using official game balls with commemorative logos for All-Star Games in 1979 (Seattle Mariners, Kingdome were the host city, team and stadium). Each year, the print color of the ball would alternate red or blue – opposite that season’s World Series baseball. This trend ended with the 1991 Toronto Blue Jays All-Star Baseball, which repeated with blue stamping  (perhaps at the request of the Blue Jay’s organization to match its primary uniform color).

In 1992, a new trend began, multiple lace colors. All-Star Game baseballs would be sewn with two different colors of laces as opposed to the typical red found on all previous Rawlings MLB game balls. The color of stitching on the ’92 ball was based on the San Diego Padres uniform colors, the host of the game that year.

This trend continues today, basing the laces and often the print color on the host team’s uniform colors. A great variety of colorful baseballs have resulted, along with ever-changing commemorative All-Star logos. Check out the gallery to see how the Mid-Summer Classic’s baseballs have evolved throughout the past 30 years!