Pin Highlight: Taber Museum – The Haunted Portrait Of Nellie Tallman – 2019 Little League Pin

The 2019 Little League World Series is right around the corner.  Its only a matter of time until visitors from all over the world flood Williamsport, PA and the surrounding areas.  Along with them will come tons and tons of Little League pins to buy, sell, and trade.

Little League’s official store has already begun selling pins for the 2019 games.  Even some of the pins made by the local businesses have started to surface.  Pins from Legal Insites, Tebbs Farms, and the Taber Museum have all been spotted.  Many more are on the way.

The Thomas T. Taber Museum of the Lycoming County Historical Society showcases artifacts that pertain to the region’s local history.  Each time I attend a Williamsport Crosscutters game I drive past it.  You can’t miss it, because of the lumberjack statue standing outside.

Pins sold by the Taber Museum usually mix baseball with local history.  Their 2019 pin focuses on the haunted portrait of Nellie Tallman.  When Nellie Tallman was 3-1/2 years old her father, an artist, decided to paint a portrait of his daughter.  What should have been a nice father daughter moment quickly turned tragic.  Little Nellie fell out of her high chair, and broke her neck resulting in her death.

John Tallman completed the portrait.  Shortly thereafter something strange began to happen.  The framed piece kept falling off of the wall.  Eventually it was donated to the Taber Museum.  While there, it fell multiple times as well.  To this day Nellie Tallman’s portrait hangs in the Taber Museum across from a painting by her father’s teacher, Severin Roesen.  It seems to have found peace there… for now.  I wouldn’t move it.  Many believe her spirit is attached to that portrait.

Cool or creepy?  Possibly the scariest Little League pin ever made.

2017 Topps Gypsy Queen Portrait Art Patch Originals Gallery

Gypsy Queen is known for having all sorts of fun gems.  For 2017, Monty Sheldon and Brian Kong both collaborated in order to bring collectors the Portrait Art Patch Originals.  Monty Sheldon made the pencil drawings while Brian Kong did the ink and coloring.  You’ll notice each card has their initials on the front and signatures on the back.  All of these cards look amazing.  Anyone would be thrilled to pull one.

The 2017 Topps Gypsy Queen Portrait Art Patch Originals set contains (38) cards covering (19) different players.  Players include: Mookie Betts, Kris Bryant, Robinson Cano, Roger Clemens, Carlos Correa, Zack Greinke, Cole Hamels, Bryce Harper, Ichiro, Adam Jones, Barry Larkin, Manny Machado, Mark McGwire, Noah Syndergaard, Anthony Rizzo, Chris Sale, Max Scherzer, Giancarlo Stanton, and Mike Trout.

Snake eyes!

Geno Smith’s ’52 Bowman Style Portrait Is Heading To The National

Artist James Henry Smith just finished up this Geno Smith portrait that Topps will use for their ’52 Bowman style promo set which will be given away during the 34th National Sports Collectors Convention this year.  Other players in the set will include Mike Trout, Ernie Banks, Bryce Harper, Frank Thomas, Tavon Austin, Eddie Lacy, and EJ Manuel.  Topps will give away 100 copies of each card every day of the NSCC to those who open (5) packs of a Topps or Bowman product at their booth.  Then they’ll wrap things up by giving away the original pieces of art that will be autographed by the players.

There you have it.  All eight portraits are complete and off to Topps for scanning and signing.  Then to Chicago!

Tavon Austin’s ’52 Bowman Style Portrait Is Ready For The National

Artist James Henry Smith just finished up this Tavon Austin portrait that Topps will use for their ’52 Bowman style promo set which will be given away during the 34th National Sports Collectors Convention this year.  Other players in the set will include Mike Trout, Ernie Banks, Bryce Harper, Frank Thomas, Geno Smith, Eddie Lacy, and EJ Manuel.  Topps will give away 100 copies of each card every day of the NSCC to those who open (5) packs of a Topps or Bowman product at their booth.  Then they’ll wrap things up by giving away the original pieces of art that will be autographed by the players.

Eddie Lacy’s ’52 Bowman Style Portrait Readies For The 34th National

Artist James Henry Smith just finished up this Eddie Lacy portrait that Topps will use for their ’52 Bowman style promo set which will be given away during the 34th National Sports Collectors Convention this year.  Other players in the set will include Mike Trout, Ernie Banks, Bryce Harper, Frank Thomas, Geno Smith, Tavon Austin, and EJ Manuel.  Topps will give away 100 copies of each card every day of the NSCC to those who open (5) packs of a Topps or Bowman product at their booth.  Then they’ll wrap things up by giving away the original pieces of art that will be autographed by the players.

EJ Manuel’s ’52 Bowman Style Portrait Is Ready To Go For The National

Artist James Henry Smith just finished up this EJ Manuel portrait that Topps will use for their ’52 Bowman style promo set which will be given away during the 34th National Sports Collectors Convention this year.  Other players in the set will include Mike Trout, Ernie Banks, Bryce Harper, Frank Thomas, Geno Smith, Tavon Austin, and Eddie Lacy.  Topps will give away 100 copies of each card every day of the NSCC to those who open (5) packs of a Topps or Bowman product at their booth.  Then they’ll wrap things up by giving away the original pieces of art that will be autographed by the players.

The Big Hurt’s ’52 Bowman Style Portrait Prepares For The National

Artist James Henry Smith just finished up this Frank Thomas portrait that Topps will use for their ’52 Bowman style promo set which will be given away during the 34th National Sports Collectors Convention this year.  Other players in the set will include Mike Trout, Ernie Banks, Bryce Harper, Geno Smith, Tavon Austin, EJ Manuel, and Eddie Lacy.  Topps will give away 100 copies of each card every day of the NSCC to those who open (5) packs of a Topps or Bowman product at their booth.  Then they’ll wrap things up by giving away the original pieces of art that will be autographed by the players.

Bryce Harper’s ’52 Bowman Style Portrait Readies For The ’13 National

Artist James Henry Smith just finished up this Bryce Harper portrait that Topps will use for their ’52 Bowman style promo set which will be given away during the 34th National Sports Collectors Convention this year.  Other players in the set will include Mike Trout, Ernie Banks, Frank Thomas, Geno Smith, Tavon Austin, EJ Manuel, and Eddie Lacy.  Topps will give away 100 copies of each card every day of the NSCC to those who open (5) packs of a Topps or Bowman product at their booth.  Then they’ll wrap things up by giving away the original pieces of art that will be autographed by the players.

The Ernie Banks ’52 Bowman Style Portrait Readies For The 34th National

Artist James Henry Smith just finished up this Ernie Banks portrait that Topps will use for their ’52 Bowman style promo set which will be given away during the 34th National Sports Collectors Convention this year.  Other players in the set will include Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Frank Thomas, Geno Smith, Tavon Austin, EJ Manuel, and Eddie Lacy.  Topps will give away 100 copies of each card every day of the NSCC, and will wrap things up by giving away the original pieces of art that will be autographed by the players.

Mike Trout’s ’52 Bowman Style Portrait Readies For The National

We have our first look at the Mike Trout portrait done by James Henry Smith that Topps will use for their ’52 Bowman retro promo set.  This set and the original artwork will be given away during the 34th National Sports Collectors Convention this year.  Other players in the set will include Bryce Harper, Ernie Banks, Frank Thomas, Geno Smith, Tavon Austin, EJ Manuel, and Eddie Lacy.  The original pieces of art will be autographed by the player.