Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Here are the NFL 2009 Photos



Here are the photos mentioned in my earlier post!

Updates to NFL Helmets

As many of you know, the NFL will have 3 teams with new or updated helmets in 2009.  I have completed the Gumball art for each of these - see attached photos.

I also completed some work on some older prototypes for teams like the Bengals and Falcons (helmets developed for use, but not used on the field for some reason), as well as some "error" helmets for teams like the Cowboys (helmets that were produced for some reason, but never actually worn - probably a production error of some type).

I also found photos of the East and West helmets worn in the final AFL All-star game in 1970, just before the merger.  This was the only time the AFL All-stars wore special helmets and I now have them in Gumball Size!

My next posts should be related to Baseball - I have completed the 2009 changes, the updates to my Negro Leagues set and am almost done with my Japanese (NPB) set.

Enjoy!


Been Very Busy with...





It's been some time since my last post.  I have been busy with two projects (and life and work, etc.).  My biggest current project is working on a set of Japanese Leagues Baseball Caps and Helmets.  This is a huge undertaking and I hope to have the Pacific League, the Central League and many throwbacks (back to the 50's) done very soon.  That will be another post.

My second project has been the 2009 changes to Indoor Football Leagues.  The CIFL, IFL, SIFL and AIFA are done.  I am still working on the APFL.  So, here you go.  Enjoy the photos.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Fantasy Football Gumball Helmets



As I continued to grow my collection of Gumball Football Helmets from the NFL to the WFL to the Arena League and beyond, I began to think about creating Fantasy Helmets.  I had often thought about how some sports logos would look on Football helmets.  What would a Los Angeles Lakers helmet look like?  How about the Edmonton Oilers?  Or the Boston Lobsters (World Team Tennis anyone?)?  Well, I took my love of custom gumball helmets to the next level and created sets for many other sports.  I also created Fantasy Helmets for various Fantasy Football League (some that I play in and some that I don't play in).  

To date, I have created Fantasy Football Helmet artwork for the following leagues:

NHL
WHA
MLL
MLB
NBA
ABA
WTT
NASL

In addition, I have completed sets for the Justice League (comic books) and the helmets from the teams in the video game "Blitz".


I have also completed a number of helmets shown in Movies, Television Shows and Commericials.  Many of these were completed with a big assist from MGHELMETS.COM.  Finally, I have done work for some fantasy football leagues and some custom work for specific collections (all New York based sports teams for example).

Shown above are a few photos of these sets.  Enjoy,

Bill

 

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Recent Hockey Project



It has been awhile since my last entry.  I have been working on a set of Minor League Hockey Helmets (Goalie Masks).  Above are a few photos of the completed sets.  So far, I have completed the following leagues, including throwback teams -

Atlantic Coast Hockey League
Southern Professional Hockey League
South East Hockey League
WHA2
American Hockey League
Central Hockey League
Colonial Hockey League
East Coast Hockey League
ECHL (after the merger)
Eastern Professional Hockey League
International Hockey League (old)
United Hockey League / International Hockey League (new)
Mid-American Hockey League
Mid-West Hockey League
West Coast Hockey League
Western Professional Hockey League
All American Hockey Association

In addition, I completed NHL sets (including throwbacks and alternate logos), WHA, and Roller Hockey International.  I am also working on Junior Ice Leagues (WHL, OHL, NAHL, USHL, and QMJHL) and Lacrosse (NLL, MLL).  More to follow.

Bill

Friday, February 27, 2009

Outdoor Football Leagues



As I was researching and completing the various Indoor and Arena Leagues, I discovered more outdoor leagues.  I had already worked on the WFL and USFL as well as some TB NFL helmets.  Then I found the CFL, CFL USA (one of my favorite sets) and many, many more.  Here is a list of outdoor leagues, including the NFL, that I have completed:

National Football League (including Throwbacks)
American Football League (1960's)
Canadian Football League
CFL USA
World Football League
United States Football League
All American Football Conference
Asian-Pacific Football League
NFL Europe (Europa)
World League of American Football
Professional Spring Football League
Spring Football League
Regional Football League
XFL
All American Football League (2008)
Continental Football League (1960's)

Next on this list is the new United Football League in 2009.  I expect that I will do a full post on the NFL, since my work now includes more than just the current helmets.

Enjoy,

Bill

Thursday, February 26, 2009

List of Indoor and Arena Football Leagues

While working on the Arena League throwbacks, I discovered many other Indoor Football leagues.  So, I began work on those as well.  Here is a list of Indoor leagues that are complete and in my collection

Arena Football League
Arena Football League 2 (AF2)
American Indoor Football League
American Indoor Football Association
American Professional Football League
Continental Indoor Football League
Great Lakes Indoor Football League
Intense Football League
United Indoor Football
Indoor Football League (2009)
Eastern Indoor Football League
Indoor Football League (2000)
National Indoor Football League
World Indoor Football League
Indoor Professional Football League
Professional Indoor Football League
Various Independent Teams

For the 2009 season, we have some new leagues and teams on the horizon.  I hope to have those completed by April or May of this year (after the seasons start).

Bill

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Arena and Indoor Football



The next step in the evolution of my Gumball collection was the Arena Football League.  I went to my first game in 1988 and fell in love with this version of football.  I began collecting anything I could from this new league.  As time went on, my home town fielded a team and I was able to begin seeing many more teams and helmets.  After completing the USFL and WFL sets, I moved on to the current AFL and then to all the throwbacks.  That took some time and some serious research.  The AFL had many, many teams and lots of one-time use or pre-season only helmets.  Many teams also used more than one helmet in a season.  And, the New York City Hawks actually had a home and an away helmet!

From the AFL, I moved on to other Indoor leagues, such as the AF2, PIFL, IFL, NIFL and others (a complete list will be the topic of a future entry).  These leagues also proved to be a challenge.  However, the result is some of my favorite helmet sets.  I really like the old IFL and PIFL sets.  Here are photos of a portion of my Arena League set and one season of the NIFL.  Enjoy.

Bill

Monday, February 23, 2009

My First Football Helmets - WFL, USFL



Let's start at the start, as they say.  I began collecting the old NFL iHOP Gumball Helmets in the early 1970's.  My grandfather would buy them for me when we had breakfast.  Over time, I collected entire sets and played with them.  Later in life, I discovered that you could purchase these great old helmets on Ebay.  At the same time, I was looking for a specific set of drink coasters that had World Football League logos on them from 1974.  I really wanted these as a kid, and never did get them.  They were sold at some gas stations in California and I figured I could find them on Ebay.  As I searched, I started thinking - wouldn't it be great if I could get WFL Gumball Helmets!  

So, I decided to make some.  My first efforts were crude, but over time I got better.  I used various resources, like the VHM Club, Logo Server, and various other helmet history sites to help me make these first helmets.  I ended up with Adobe PhotoShop Elements, which is a great program for this type of work.  I also "met" other helmet collectors via email.  People like David J, Ben J, and Klaus K all helped me do a better job on these helmets.  Once I figured it out, I started on other Football Leagues - USFL, AFL, Arena, and many, many others.  I will add a complete list later.  For now, here a a few photos of sets I have completed to date.

Bill

First Entry

Hello everyone.  This is the first entry in my new Gumball Helmet blog.  In this blog, I hope to share my passion for this hobby, my designs, and some history of various sport's helmets and caps.  

I create and collect custom football, baseball and hockey gumball helmets.  These are the same helmets you may have collected when you were a kid.  They came from 25 cent machines, IHOP, baseball concession stands, comic book ads and other locations.  They are harder to find these days, but still fun to collect.

Since most of these factory made helmets represented the NFL, MLB and NHL, I decided it would be fun to "create" sets for other leagues.  I started with the old World Football League and went from there.  A few years ago, I tried my hand at updating some MLB helmets with custom logos and then went on to Minor League teams and historic teams (Negro Leagues, etc.).  Then, I started making custom Hockey Helmets.  I loved the old World Hockey Association, so I started there.  Now I am making Minor Leagues and Jr Leagues, as well as Throwback NHL helmets.

That is the quick history of my work and what this blog will document over time.  I plan on adding photos and links later.

Thanks for reading,

Bill