“He can sell ice to an Eskimo,” isn’t that what they say about a great salesman? How about selling dirt to anyone outside of Alaska? When the Yankees said that they were going to sell off pieces of old Yankee Stadium, they weren’t fooling around. They actually dug up the dirt from inside the stadium; 1.5 tons of it, and are selling it as small parts of collectible “Dirt Collage” memorabilia, as seen with this fine item here. That’s signed Derek Jeter sliding into third, but the dirt flying up around him is real Yankee Stadium dirt, sprinkled there by Yankee worker elves and sealed under the Lucite. Of course, it’s not the actual dirt from the basepaths; more likely it’s stuff that was dug up from two or three feet down, and never touched by anyone but moles. Nevertheless, it came from Yankee Stadium. Oh, and the price?
A mere $799. From Steiner Sports Gifts and Collectibles:
This “In The Game” collage comes framed with the Yankees logo, final season logo and a descriptive nameplate. This collage features game used dirt from the stadium, which comes affixed to the photograph itself to give the piece a 3-dimensional look. A Steiner Sports Certificate of Authenticity is included, as well as an MLB Hologram to ensure authenticity of the dirt. PLEASE NOTE: EACH PIECE IS MADE BY HAND AND SOME VARIANCES IN THE PLACEMENT AND AMOUNT OF DIRT FROM PIECE TO PIECE SHOULD BE EXPECTED. BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THIS PIECE, SOME DIRT PARTICLES WILL LIKELY BE LOCATED IN BETWEEN THE PLEXI AND THE MATTING. THIS IS NORMAL FOR THIS PRODUCT AND SHOULD BE EXPECTED UPON RECEIPT OF THE ITEM. THIS ITEM WILL NOT SHIP IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS.
The cheapest dirt items for sale are keychains for $20. Then there are framed photographs with a tablespoon or so of dirt poured into a coin-shaped portion of the matting, for upwards of $100. Posters commemorating the nine championships the team won in their former home sell for $150 each. Player plaques showing Yankee stars’ stats and biggest moments are $50 to $60.
Since 1952, the Yankees have bought their dirt for the stadium from Beam Clay in Great Meadows, New Jersey. If you go to their web site, you can get a bag of their Baseball Diamond Mix for $5.95, or $75 a ton. From Bloomberg News:
The team will also be selling pairs of seats for $1,499 — cheaper than some individual tickets at the new stadium — a single bleacher seat for $399; freeze-dried grass for $80, a 2- foot by 2-foot piece of sod for $280 and ceremonial bricks from Monument Park for $149.
Items to be auctioned later include a clubhouse door that Jeter pounded with his bat before every home game; the foul poles; the section of the wall that Jeter dived over July 1, 2004, for a foul ball, bloodying his face; and seats that were hit by select home runs throughout the stadium’s history.
No mention yet of the Yankee clubhouse toilets and urinals, which I imagine would be a gold mine.
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Yanks hitting paydirt [New York Post]
Yankees Offer the Real Dirt on Stadium Memorabilia, for $80 [Bloomberg]
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- BC - Oct 19, 2010 at 12:12 PM
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That’s awesome.
A buddy of mine bought me a piece of the left field foul pole for Xmas. No idea what he paid. But its cool.
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- Sports Memorbillia Gifts - Oct 19, 2010 at 7:24 PM
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This is actually a really awesome sports memorabilia gift. my man has everything so he is really hard to buy gifts for- this sports memorbillia gift is exactly what he didnt have, so I just got it for him. Now I try to get him something every year- hes become somewhat of a Yankees memorabilia collector. Pretty awesome place, and I love the game used dirt collages from Steiner Sports because they are 100% certified authentic. I recommend this to guys girlfriends all over the country, and the world for that matter- sports are a thing people love from all over, so these sports memorabilia gifts make it easy to by for the man with everything.
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- Kimmy - Oct 19, 2010 at 7:27 PM
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I totally agree with her! I got my man something for Steiners last year for our one year edding anniversary- it was also the year the Saints won. The Steiners had some good SUper Boel stuff, and we both love Brees, so it was a gift even I agreed on. lol! :0 of course mine didnt have game used dirt in the actual picture! Dang, this is cool- too bad we hate the yankees.
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- terry - Oct 20, 2010 at 8:39 AM
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1) There is a sucker born every minute
2) It would be indeed excellent to see the Texas Rangers send the yankees home for the year tonight in front of the yankee fans. Most of them are probably good folks but there is a segment of them – loud, obnoxious, probably 3/4 in the bag when they get to the stadium, brave in the company of their fellows, quite similar to filly fans and PROUD OF IT, and the camera gravitates to them.
3) Nolan Ryan must be really enjoying this.
4) Mr. Ryan – PLEASE sign Cliff Lee.
5) Bumper sticker – I love New York too, it’s the yankees I hate!
6) The yankees still have the best looking home uniforms in all of sports – simple and classy.
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- terry - Oct 20, 2010 at 8:49 AM
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I went to Yankee Stadium once in the 50s with my uncle. They were playing the Indians who had Larry Doby, among others.
Yogi Berra, Joe Page, Ed Lopat, Allie Reynolds. Wow. We sat about 30 rows up lower deck on the 3rd base side. Toward the end of the game I snuck down to sit behind the backstop.
That was when that guy whose name I forget but who just died had just started as the Yankee announcer – Derek Jeter insists on having a tape of him announcing Jeter when he first comes to bat. I like that. To my young ears this guy sounded like God – awesome voice. No one else ever really came close, although there were some good ones.
Have a good day folks
Cordially,
The Old Fart
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- Ashley - Oct 20, 2010 at 1:58 PM
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Hi everyone-The Avon Foundation is actually auctioning off a authentic “Sliding Into Third” with dirt from the stadium signed by Derek Jeter. Go to the below link to bid, the current bid is $250.00
100% of the proceeds go to the Avon Foundation for Women.
http://stores.ebay.com/Avon-Foundation-Charity-Auction?_rdc=1
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