Scrounger's Baseball Field

What a great ball field Arnold.   I started thinking about your comment on converting it to Fenway.  When Jerry showed his "Nathan's" hot dog factory I got to thinking about my year in Boston.  The thing I remember most about Fenway was that it was a classic ball park.  It was located inside a neighborhood, no big parking lots or meadows around and just outside the gates were lots of little restaurants and on game day lots of food trucks.  You got there on the "T" (mass transit) which was also good for the trip home especially if you had indulged in a few beers.  So if you wanted to simulate that it would at least be space efficient...modeling those food trucks might be fun as well.  Anyway this is a great job...thanks for sharing.

Don

CHOO-CHOO MIKE posted:

Choo-Choo Mike, I could not access the attachment in your above reply.

Getting close to completion. See photos below with urban scenic backdrop installed and penants of different colors on roof of Polo Grounds:

Panoramic shot from behind home plate:

Down 1st base line:

Down 3rd base line:

Season tickets are going fast. I recommend you place your order for them ASAP.

LOL, Arnold 

Urban scenic backdrop is from Railroadbackdrops.com, which advertises on this Forum. I am very pleased with their product and prompt service.

Here are more photos that include the backdrop:

Arnold

Arnold,

Nice backdrop!  Cool pics.  Love the Polo Grounds, forget fenway.  Love your ballpark stuff.

Any chance for a Yankee Stadium backdrop?  I sent this famous painting to my backdrop guy, and he printed it out as large as it could fit in that space.  You might be able to find a suitable pic for the Stadium backdrop.  A friend tried to make a facsimile of the stadium facade in his metal shop.  This was the best we could do with it....

May I offer one suggestion?  Go to google, get images of simple pennants, of the then 8, NL teams.  Re-size them in your word processor, print out in color, you don't even need photo paper.  Cut them out like you did the others...

By the way, the Babe always said he preferred hitting in the Polo Grounds.  Even more than the Stadium.

Keep 'em coming!

Jerry

JerryG posted:

Arnold,

Nice backdrop!  Cool pics.  Love the Polo Grounds, forget fenway.  Love your ballpark stuff.

Any chance for a Yankee Stadium backdrop?  I sent this famous painting to my backdrop guy, and he printed it out as large as it could fit in that space.  You might be able to find a suitable pic for the Stadium backdrop.  A friend tried to make a facsimile of the stadium facade in his metal shop.  This was the best we could do with it....

May I offer one suggestion?  Go to google, get images of simple pennants, of the then 8, NL teams.  Re-size them in your word processor, print out in color, you don't even need photo paper.  Cut them out like you did the others...

By the way, the Babe always said he preferred hitting in the Polo Grounds.  Even more than the Stadium.

Keep 'em coming!

Jerry

Your Yankee Stadium backdrop, Jerry, is gorgeous. Is it possible that I could get a similar Yankee Stadium backdrop and, if so, do you know the approximate cost of it?

This is my current Yankee Stadium backdrop:

Regarding penants, I have penants of National League Teams, but decided not to post a photo of them because of possible trademark infringement. The penants on my Polo Grounds roof are different colors with no team logos. 

Arnold

The backdrop and pennants look great, although I can't read what's on the pennants.

MELGAR

Thanks, Arnold.  It's the only ballpark I have room for.  Also, I think the one you have for the Stadium looks good.

My Stadium pic is 30" X 15".  Dave, from Backdrop Junction, made it for me after I sent him the pic and he said he'd see what he could do with it.  The price was right, $0.  I offered to pay him after it came in the mail, but, he never responded.  He'd made three huge ones for me that are on the table layout, and he did the highly specialized two, 35 foot by 7 1/2 inch backdrops that are on the overhead layout.  All are printed on vinyl, which makes them quite flexible and easy to work with.  Most require some type of backing, especially if you can't reach all the corners!  The first pic is one that is simply hung with Velcro.  The others use various materials such as 1/4 inch black foam board, cardboard, or poster paper. 

Dave is a pilot.  He has suspended his backdrop business for an undetermined time.  As to the price, I would guess it would be around $50.  I would either download that Stadium pic, or find something better, then send it to your backdrop guy and see if he'll try it for you.

Jerry

Arnold,

I found some free to download pennants, all 30 of them are in one pic.  You inspired me to update my Stadium scene.  Takes awhile to size them right and cut them out.  I used photo paper for the final print.

Jerry

Thanks Jerry, for the info.

I am relatively satisfied with my current Yankee Stadium backdrop, so I plan to keep what I have for the foreseeable future. Arnold

Great baseball field. 

It got me to thinking since it is now football season and if someone had the space he could install one of those old Electric Football games from the 1950s that use a vibrating field and the men with the little angled feet like on the Lionel cattle car and pen.  As I remember playing with my friends Electric Football game, most time was spent lining up the players and the action would be over in a minute or so per play.  It would give the kids something else to play with on the layout.

After all I have seen Lionel train layouts with slot cars (probably HO) running on the slot car track that seemed to get more attention than the trains.

Charlie

Choo Choo Charlie posted:

Great baseball field. 

It got me to thinking since it is now football season and if someone had the space he could install one of those old Electric Football games from the 1950s that use a vibrating field and the men with the little angled feet like on the Lionel cattle car and pen.  As I remember playing with my friends Electric Football game, most time was spent lining up the players and the action would be over in a minute or so per play.  It would give the kids something else to play with on the layout.

After all I have seen Lionel train layouts with slot cars (probably HO) running on the slot car track that seemed to get more attention than the trains.

Charlie

Thanks, Choo Choo Charlie.

Animated football in O Scale is a great idea. I would love to see such a thing. Arnold

Made a couple of more changes.

I glued the baseball penants and the American flag to little wooden craft sticks. Then, I stuck the sticks into strips of styrofoam painted green:

I like the look of the ballpark with the Lionel 646 Hudson pulling Postwar passenger cars:

Arnold

Great job Arnold!  My brother and I had the electric football and baseball fields.  They were a bit tedious to set the tabs right under the players to get them to go where you wanted.

Looks great, Arnold.  The figures are cool and the upper deck gives it a real stadium look.  You've got Willie, all you need now is Sal Yvers flashing the fastball sign to Bobby Thompson from the 500 foot CF.  Hahaha.

The Menard's Sprecher Brewery and Nathan's Hot Dog's are ready to deliver the beers and dogs to the ballpark.  Several more details need to be added and those screws removed, but you go through the high tunnel to the right, and you arrive at old Yankee Stadium.  Sorry those cool white LED's in the brewery wash out the details for the phone's camera.

Jerry

JerryG posted:

Looks great, Arnold.  The figures are cool and the upper deck gives it a real stadium look.  You've got Willie, all you need now is Sal Yvers flashing the fastball sign to Bobby Thompson from the 500 foot CF.  Hahaha.

The Menard's Sprecher Brewery and Nathan's Hot Dog's are ready to deliver the beers and dogs to the ballpark.  Several more details need to be added and those screws removed, but you go through the high tunnel to the right, and you arrive at old Yankee Stadium.  Sorry those cool white LED's in the brewery wash out the details for the phone's camera.

Jerry

Fabulous, Jerry! Now it's time for the homeplate umpire to shout out: Play Ball (and Trains)!

JerryG posted:

Looks great, Arnold.  The figures are cool and the upper deck gives it a real stadium look.  You've got Willie, all you need now is Sal Yvers flashing the fastball sign to Bobby Thompson from the 500 foot CF.  Hahaha.

The Menard's Sprecher Brewery and Nathan's Hot Dog's are ready to deliver the beers and dogs to the ballpark.  Several more details need to be added and those screws removed, but you go through the high tunnel to the right, and you arrive at old Yankee Stadium.  Sorry those cool white LED's in the brewery wash out the details for the phone's camera.

Jerry

Jerry, your layout with its multiple levels and baseball theme and decorations looks very interesting. And the structures look solid.

My Polo Grounds is not solid, but rather very flimsy, like a house of cards. If Willie crashes into the centerfield fence, the whole thing might come tumbling down. LOL, Arnold 

Fantasy Baseball, Ultimate Subway Series:

Don Larson's 1956 World Series perfect game at Yankee Stadium;

"The Catch" by Willie Mays 1954 World Series at the Polo Grounds.

Arnold

Way cool, Arnold!  They're close enough to pretend the river runs between them!

I notice you added subway cars.  I saw the thread about the trolley track that actually allows you to record and play your own station announcements.  Too bad it's fastrack.   Maybe one day, someone will produce a gargraves-like track that will do the same thing.

Larsen's first pitch to Gilliam.   I think I've sent you this one before...

Jerry

Added some scenic detail to Scrounger's Baseball Field today. Take a look at the photo below and see if you can tell what I added:

Do you know?

Give up?

Ok, it's the yellow foul poles. 

The least expensive way to make them is to take a couple of straws out of the garbage or kitchen cabinet, paint the straws yellow, and glue them in place.

Unfortunately, we had no straws or yellow paint in the house. I could have gone to a nearby McDonalds and pilfered a couple if straws (LOL), but since I needed the yellow paint anyway, I went to a local AC Moore, bought a wooden dowel, and a set of 42 acrylic paints on sale for $20.

Here's a close up of one of the foul poles:

I drilled 2 holes in the plywood board to secure the foul poles in place.

Arnold

Looking great Arnold!

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

I like the look of the ballpark with the Lionel 646 Hudson pulling Postwar passenger cars:

Arnold

JerryG posted:

Way cool, Arnold!

Larsen's first pitch to Gilliam.

Jerry

Arnold,

The 646 Hudson definitely tops off the scene....

And Jerry,

"Junior" Jim Gilliam #19. Another great Brooklyn Dodger baseball player. How could the Dodgers ever leave Brooklyn?

MELGAR

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Getting close to completion. See photos below with urban scenic backdrop installed and penants of different colors on roof of Polo Grounds:

Panoramic shot from behind home plate:

Down 1st base line:

Down 3rd base line:

Season tickets are going fast. I recommend you place your order for them ASAP.

LOL, Arnold 

Arnold:

The Polo Grounds look GREAT. I love the grandstands and the center field locker rooms access'. I can almost see in my minds eye, Willy Mays chasing down that long fly ball in center field.

I can almost turn my Polo Grounds into a home-made animated accessory simply by playing the announcer's call on YouTube (using my smartphone) on my Bose blue tooth device. The blue tooth device is phased with my smartphone.

It's amazing all the things one can access on YouTube.

The announcers' calls for Bobby Thompson's home run, Willie Mays' catch and Don Larsen's last pitch in his perfect game can all be accessed on YouTube.

You can do the same thing for any famous ball field or sports arena you have on your layout.

For instance, if you are into ice hockey, you can have an ice hockey rink and arena with hockey player figures on your layout, recreate the Gold Metal game between the USA and the Soviet Union, and play Al Michael's call during the last glorious minute of the game: "Do you believe in miracles?"

Arnold

Arnold, I also like the distance markers on the outfield wall. Nice work!

i found the above video for a recordable sound button. It looks like it would fit the bill, but no idea of cost. 

Melgar,   Gilliam was a good, versatile, player.  I actually made a DVD of the entire perfect game.  Years ago, when you could copy your saved movies and games, the YES network played the video.  Bing Crosby had it made in England, but, I can't remember what the technology was called.  It had Mel Allen and Vin Scully sharing the announcing, was shot mostly from behind the plate, and somewhat grainy.  Larsen, Berra, and Bob Costas were in the studio, commenting on different parts of the broadcast.

Also, you've heard Billy Crystal's story about bringing Wells to meet DeNiro?  DeNiro:  Who's the fat guy?  Crystal:  Bob, that's David Wells from the Yankees.  He just pitched a perfect game yesterday at the Stadium and he'd like to meet you.  DeNiro:  What's a perfect game?  Crystal explains it to him.  DeNiro:  Sounds boring.

Arnold, the yellow poles look great against the green decks.  Nothing like those Bose bluetooth speakers.  The boys can't believe the quality and volume of the sound it puts out.   When we're outside, I play everything from my phone.  I agree, Youtube has it all.

Still waiting for some shaded lamps, picnic tables, and figures for the Nathan's hot dog stand and brewery area but, the trains are running great.

Jerry

Way to go JD!!  Thanks!

I just looked them up.  They're cheap, $12 for one, less for more.   You can re-record your sounds at any time.  Runs on AAA batteries.  You can only have one recording at a time, but it can go 200 seconds.

I'll probably get a few for certain train scenes, including Yankee Stadium.  Recommend downloading from Youtube, converting to MP3, copying to your phone, then plugging your phone into the module to record your sounds.  The plug comes with the module.

Jerry

Sound modules are only about $10!

https://invitebyvoice.com

I’m  going to have to buy some myself! 

It would be nice to find one with the ability for multiple recordings. You could have Bob Shepard announce the whole starting lineup!

JD, they have them, too.  I'll have to decide which module(s) to get.  I like the ones that have the push button, and are enclosed.

Go to recordable boxes/usb-recordable-sound-boxes

Jerry

Arnold, It looks great!  I’ve been familiar with Willie Mays’ over the shoulder catch in that center field notch sine I was a boy.  What I have always wondered is why they never fenced it off in line with the main wall.  With such deep walls anyway it would have seemed logical.  

That aside, the notch was there, and it was one of the trademarks of the Polo Grounds, and you have done a wonderful job!

JD2035RR posted:

 

 

 

Arnold, I also like the distance markers on the outfield wall. Nice work!

i found the above video for a recordable sound button. It looks like it would fit the bill, but no idea of cost. 

 

That is so cool, JD. I'm technologically challenged, as is evident from the wiring on my layout, so I would probably need help figuring out how to use such a device. My kids who are 30 something could do that for me, like most all young adults or even children. Arnold

Mark Boyce posted:

Arnold, It looks great!  I’ve been familiar with Willie Mays’ over the shoulder catch in that center field notch sine I was a boy.  What I have always wondered is why they never fenced it off in line with the main wall.  With such deep walls anyway it would have seemed logical.  

That aside, the notch was there, and it was one of the trademarks of the Polo Grounds, and you have done a wonderful job!

Thanks, Mark.

I have an O Scale Pittsburgh Pirates penant that I got from the Internet, glued to a wooden craft stick the size of a tooth pick, that I would love to give to you for your future O Scale Forbes Field. And we know the announcer's call you would play from YouTube: Bill Mazeroski's 1960 World Series 7th game home run.

Though that home run broke my 9 year old heart at the time, now with all of the Yankees' championship teams, I'm glad that day in the sun for Bill Mazeroski, the Pirates and you, happened. 

Arnold 

Thank you Arnold!  I was only 4 years old, but I quickly knew Mazeroski was the hero!  After that, Clemente became my favorite.

 I read long ago Mickey Mantle sat in the clubhouse after that game and cried.  You were in good company.  The Pirates were incredible underdogs.  Congratulations to the Pirates for two more victories, and the Yankees for I don’t know how many!!

Thank you about the pennant.  I still wear a Pirates hat often.  Even some locals will question why.  It is for Maz, Clemente, Stargell, Oliver, Madlock, Van Slyke, McCutcheon and lots of others.

JerryG posted:

Arnold, I like it!  Love the addition of the upper decks!  So, now you have TWO ballparks on your layout?  I'm very jealous.  As before, no more room for one on my table layout.

Bryan, your layout and ballpark look fabulous.

You guys may need some vendors for all the fans.  What could go better than hot dogs?  Working on this small module for the table layout.  Took the brewery tunnel insert and used it to build the Nathan's display.

The guys have been asking Menard's for a brewery for years.  Just received it yesterday.  Got the car and Nathan's sign this Wednesday.  Many details still to go on this little project.

Jerry

Jerry:

Where did you get the Nathan's refer? It looks GREAT!

Mark Boyce posted:

Thank you Arnold!  I was only 4 years old, but I quickly knew Mazeroski was the hero!  After that, Clemente became my favorite.

 I read long ago Mickey Mantle sat in the clubhouse after that game and cried.  You were in good company.  The Pirates were incredible underdogs.  Congratulations to the Pirates for two more victories, and the Yankees for I don’t know how many!!

Thank you about the pennant.  I still wear a Pirates hat often.  Even some locals will question why.  It is for Maz, Clemente, Stargell, Oliver, Madlock, Van Slyke, McCutcheon and lots of others.

Mark:

Though I am a Yankee fan, I am an appreciator of all baseball. You have mentioned many legendary Pirates in your above quote. I also admired those guys as I saw them over the years. Another pirate that I remember, though far from legendary, was a catcher named Smoky Burgess. Being a former catcher myself, I tend to gravitate to others who played the same position.

Today I added fencing for the upper deck:

When I was positioning it, the whole structure collapsed, so I had to glue the whole thing back together again. LOL, Arnold 

Randy Harrison posted

Another pirate that I remember, though far from legendary, was a catcher named Smoky Burgess. Being a former catcher myself, I tend to gravitate to others who played the same position.

Randy, I was a pitcher in the Pony League. Since you were a catcher, we should have a catch some day. I can bring the baseball and the mitts, including a catcher's mitt.

I heard that a lot of great games are being played in a place called Iowa. Ya wanna meet me in Iowa? If not, maybe we can meet in a place called York, Pennsylvania. LOL, Arnold

MTH Proto 1 Dreyfus Hudson passenger train to the Polo Grounds:

Arnold