*UPDATE* - "America At The Seams" Book & Print Rewards

Hey Backers!

Touching base to give you a couple exciting updates on the "America At The Seams" project and your outstanding rewards.

First, I'd like you all to be the first to see the FINAL front and back cover layout of the hard cover coffee table book below.  The front cover has vivid photography of the complete US map mounted on stained reclaimed wood boards:

Final Book Front Cover

 The back cover contains snippets of testimonials that we've received from notable persons that have praised the book and the inspirational stories within.  It's been so humbling (and fun!) to receive quotes from such amazing people and I'm very grateful for their support.  

Final Book Back Cover

The final book electronic files are in the hands of the printer and the printing process is officially underway!  We expect to receive our first and only "printed proof" of the actual unbound book by 10/3 for one last review and I am driving 4 hours to take a tour of the print facility in Minnesota the week of 10/9 before giving them the green light to print all 5,000 1st Edition copies.  I'll likely be posting video of my printer tour on our Facebook page, so be watching for that.  We are expecting to receive the books in hand the week of 10/30.  For those receiving books as Backer Rewards, please know my team will be working long hours to make sure you get your autographed copies ASAP!

For those waiting on Fine Art Prints - we have textured fine art paper on order and have identified a local artist to run the full print job for all Kickstarter Backers.  We are still deciding on final print size, but likely 16x20 or 18x20.  I do still anticipate the Fine Art Print Rewards to ship prior to the Book Rewards.

Thank you so much for your support - we are rounding third and heading for home!  Continue to follow along at www.americaattheseams.com.

Nathan Rueckert
Baseball Seams Co., LLC

"We strive to honor God and reflect His love by creating unique, meaningful products that connect people and transform relationships through the platform of baseball."

Cooperstown Recap & Book/Print Updates!

Hey Backers!  

I hope you followed along on my cross country journey this past June to the 29th Annual Cooperstown Symposium on Baseball & American Culture at the National Baseball Hall of Fame!  I presented and unveiled the America at the Seams artwork that YOU helped fund over a year ago and it was met with rave reviews.  The Hall of Fame librarian went as far as to say that he'd be talking to the head art curator at the HOF about a possible 'baseball folk art' exhibit to see if I'd be interested in bringing it back more formally for an extended stay.  I sure hope that pans out!!  We posted the presentation on Facebook here.  If you missed it, I'd encourage you to take 23 minutes to listen and let me know what you think! 

Me and my Dad outside the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.

 Now I know what your thinking:  "That's great and all, but where are my Backer Rewards?!"

I'm glad you asked!   I'm very grateful for your patience and here is where we are at.

THE FINE ART PRINT - now that the full baseball map has been completed, the dust has settled from the Cooperstown road trip, and all individual state photography has been shot for the book, we are working on the fine art print production over the next 2-3 weeks.  We are shopping for bids on paper and best ways to get them to you safely and affordably.  For those waiting on the prints, I do expect them to ship prior to the book in a rolled tube mailer.  Best estimate right now is sometime in September. 

THE HARDCOVER BOOK - I almost feel this should have been its own Kickstarter project!  So much work has gone into this in identifying all 50 stories, interviewing and writing the book (thanks Ethan D Bryan!), proofing multiple drafts, book photo layout and design, and shopping for the right printer.  Here is where we are at....

I expect to receive the rough draft of book next week from the publisher, which includes all photography and text as it will appear on the pages.  I anticipate at least a week of review and once that is finalized and book files are generated, printer requires at least 8 weeks lead time to print the 5,000 books we are ordering for the 1st Edition.  Proud to say we are sourcing from a printer located in the USA (Mankato, MN) who is best equipped to handle this large of a hardcover, high-quality production run.  I have no idea where I'm going to store 5,000 books (my wife tells me its not in our basement), but hopefully we sell them so fast it won't matter. We've already pre-sold about 1,000, only 4,000 more to go!  So all that said, my best estimate is a book shipment in October.  I'm staying on top of the publisher to ensure we get these done as quickly as possible without jeopardizing project quality.  

For those of you who will be recognized by name in the book (> $100 backer), your name(s) and City/State will be included on a Backer Recognition page.  I believe previously I suggested a special inscription or quote might be possible to also include, but it won't fit in the overall layout that the publisher has suggested.  If you have provided a custom message (In honor of, In memory of, etc), I will try my best to hand-write these with my autograph at the front of the book.  

Lastly...if your address has changed since April 2016, please reach out to me and make sure I have the correct shipping address on file for the book/print delivery.  

I know this has been delayed several times, but again, I appreciate your patience with this process.  I don't think I fully appreciated the huge undertaking that would be needed to make this happen, but I'm confident you'll be satisfied with the result. 

Thanks again for the support and please keep in touch.

Best regards, 

Nathan Rueckert, Founder/Owner
Baseball Seams Co., LLC

⚾️Let the Journey Begin! ⚾️

My dad and I leave early tomorrow morning for a road trip of a lifetime: 1350 miles from Sioux Falls, SD to Cooperstown, NY to speak at the 29th Cooperstown Symposium about this project. Follow along on Instagram at #AmericaAtTheSeams at @baseballseamsco.

A Call from the Hall: 29th Annual Cooperstown Symposium

Hey Backers & Baseball Fans!   So excited to announce that the "America At The Seams" project has been selected to be part of the National Baseball Hall of Fame's 29th Annual Cooperstown Symposium on Baseball & American Culture.  The conference is May 31 through June 2, 2017 in Cooperstown, NY and I've been given permission to display my United States map original artwork in the Giamatti Research Center during the conference.  

Our session is Friday evening, 6/2 from 6:30pm - 7:00pm in the Bullpen Theater.  I will moderate the session with an introduction to the AATS project and Ethan Bryan, the talented coffee table book writer that interviewed all 50 project participants, will follow with a 15 minute summary of the project's stories in a poem arranged similar to Casey at the Bat.  The evening will conclude with a baseball movie titled Pastime (Miramax, 1991).

Want to join me?  The symposium is open to the public for anyone that pays the registration fees.  The 3 day fee is $185, which includes light refreshments each day, a catered dinner in the Hall of Fame Plaque Gallery on Thursday evening, and a three-day pass to the Hall of Fame.  Per diem rates are available for those unable to attend the entire symposium ($50 for Wednesday or Friday, and $100 for Thursday which includes dinner).  To register, go to www.baseballhall.org/learn/symposium.  If you plan on coming, let me know!  I'd love to meet my backers!  

What this means:  I have my work cut out for me this month!  Currently, 30 of the 50 state artworks are complete, another 6 in production, and 14 states with baseballs not yet received.  I'm working hard to have the entire artwork done Memorial Day for the 2 day drive from Sioux Falls, SD to Cooperstown, NY, a whopping 19 hours (1341 miles).  Looking forward to having my dad along with me for the journey!  Below is a picture of the AATS artwork with 22 states displayed:

22 of 50 States

Lastly, if you haven't heard, I've launched my official website presale of the AATS Book.  The first 1,000 copies will be hand-signed and individually numbered by me.  If you want this first-edition collectors item, you can order for only $29.95 a copy HERE.  Latest estimate on book launch date is late July this summer.  

Thank you!

Nathan Rueckert, Founder & Owner
Baseball Seams Co., LLC

OPENING DAY BOOK REVEAL!

Hey Backers!  

Happy Opening Day!  It's been 1 full year since I launched this project and I'm so excited to celebrate by revealing the final book cover concept below!  The title of the book is slated to be "America At the Seams:  50 Stories in 50 States of How Baseball Unites Our Country".  As stated in my last update, the book won't officially launch until the large USA map made of used baseballs is complete.  We are tentatively planning on a July 2017 release date.  Note:  The image on the cover will change to be the final artwork when complete. 

AUTOGRAPHED PRE-SALE NOW LIVE!

If you haven't already purchased the book through the Kickstarter rewards, you're the FIRST to know that we just officially launched an Autographed 1st Edition Hardcover PRESALE today at a discounted price of $29.95.  If you are willing, please share the link below on Facebook and proudly state that you are a backer!  

https://www.baseballseamsco.com/products/america-at-the-seams-hardcover-book-presale

Thanks again for making this project a reality.  It's going to be a fun year! 

March Update!

Hey Backers! Wanted to give you a quick update on the "America At The Seams" project that you helped commission into existence! We are nearly passed all the legal hurdles and have 45/50 project participant waivers returned, and have received in baseballs from 31/50 states thus far. Plus...MLB has verbally agreed to allow references to their various team name trademarks in the book. By mid-April, about 50% of the giant USA map should be complete. Crazy! Follow along with #AmericaAtTheSeams on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for updates.

One cool thing happening this weekend is that I will be presenting the AATS project with Ethan Bryan (writer of the coffee table book scheduled for release this summer) at the 22nd Annual Baseball in Literature & American Culture Conference at Ottawa University in Kansas. For more info on the conference, click the following link: http://www.ottawa.edu/baseball-conference/agenda

You'll hear from me again this weekend with a final proof of the AATS Hardcover book cover concept along with details on how you can get in on an exclusive autographed 1st Edition PRESALE of the book in case you want extra copies.

PS - really cool update involving the National Baseball Hall of Fame coming soon!

Playball!

Nathan Rueckert, Artist & Founder 

Baseball Seams Co., LLC |  nate@baseballseamsco.com

America At The Seams Book Update & More!

Hey Backers!  It's been a couple months since my last update and wanted to keep you in the loop with project progress.  Here's the latest:

The Coffee Table Book

First draft of the "America At The Seams" coffee table book is complete!  All 50 state stories have been written thanks to freelance baseball writer and fellow Kickstarter backer, Ethan Bryan (Twitter @Ethan_Bryan).  Ethan stepped up in a big way to research state stories, performed interviews, and was contracted to work directly with the book publishing team to deliver a written draft before Christmas.

That's the good news.  The bad news is that there is some legal red tape we are currently jumping through to ensure we are not infringing on any MLB trademarks by referencing team names in some of the stories.  In most books, storytelling and conveying factual information would be considered "fair use", but this book will be unique in that I am pairing the story with artwork made specifically from that story.  The publishing team has 3 different attorneys looking at this and we've concluded safest approach is to try and obtain fair use no recourse waivers from the teams referenced.  Teams are being contacted this week and we're hoping for the best.  Worst case is we re-write some of the stories without referencing team names. 

USA Map Baseball Artwork Update

Regarding the massive 5 foot wide map of the USA, I have obtained baseballs for about 20/50 states, with 5 state artworks being complete and 8 more states currently in production.  I've hired one of the most talented photographers in the Midwest (if not the U.S.), Wes Eisenhauer, to do all artwork photography for the book and the fine art prints at the conclusion of the project.  

Backer Rewards & Post-Backer PRESALE

I've mailed out all "America's Game" artwork rewards and Kickstarter t-shirts.  Book and fine art prints will come early-Summer.  Book launch date was previously planned for late-April, but legal red tape is likely going to delay that a month or two.  

Heads up that if you have friends or family that didn't get in on the Kickstarter and would still like to contribute to this project, they can do so at the link below.  Everyone who gives over $100 still can get their name in the books credits as being a Backer.  Also, there are still corporate sponsorship opportunities for donations over $1000.  Reach out if you would like more info.  

https://www.baseballseamsco.com/collections/baseball-art/products/america-at-the-seams-pre-sale

Thanks again everyone!  Spring Training is only 1 month away!

Playball, 

Nathan Rueckert, Artist & Founder
The Baseball Seams Co., LLC

Thankful

This Thanksgiving, I wanted to take a moment to let you know how appreciative I am for each of you. Over 7 months ago, you helped make my dream a reality with my "America At The Seams" project. And for that, I'll forever be thankful.

Quick project update: 10 of 28 America's Game artwork rewards have been mailed and I intend on having all 28 delivered before Christmas.

The book project workstream is well underway. All 50 state storylines have been identified and a project team with Throne Publishing is working on securing waivers and performing phone interviews with all necessary participants.

I continue to receive more and more baseballs in from the individual state storylines and plan on having all artwork done by 1/31/2017.

Tentative book release date is 4/28/2017 and I'll be sure to provide more details surrounding launch parties, book signings, etc as the time gets closer.

Happy Thanksgiving, Nathan Rueckert

3 Month Update

Hey Backers! Well time sure does fly when you’re having fun! It’s been 8 weeks since my last update and I wanted to check in and let you know where things are at with the “America At The Seams” project and where things are headed.

The recent tragedies in our country underscores my vision for this project and why I’m so passionate about it. If you watch the news or scroll through your social media news feeds, it feels like our country is literally falling apart at the seams. Republican vs Democrat, Rich vs Poor, White vs Black, Religion vs Religion, and the list goes on. To call our nation the “United States of America” almost has become an oxymoron; there doesn’t seem to be anything united about us.

And yet…there is.

One of the powerful things about baseball is how it has the power to transcend sports – to bring people together regardless of political status, economic class, race or religion. And this is the message that will ring throughout the 50 stories in 50 states told through my “America At The Seams” artwork project and subsequent book. That one of the reasons baseball will always be called “America’s Pastime” is because it is one of the things that truly unites us as an American people.

A few updates on where things are at with the project below:

• I’ve signed on with Throne Publishing Group to assist with the coffee table book with a tentative release date of Opening Day 2017. The book will show vivid pictures of all 50 states individually juxtaposed next to the 50 personal stories of where the baseballs came from to create the artwork. This is HUGE for me because Throne provides a project management backbone, along with editorial, graphic design, copy layout services to help this book become a reality. They’ve represented authors featured in USA Today, Newsweek, Entrepreneur magazine and Inc. 500, as well as have an extensive distribution network to help get the book on retail shelves across the country. SO pumped about this!

• The project website is up and running as promised in my Kickstarter Stretch Goal. Check out www.americaattheseams.com for project updates and ways to stay connected.

• 10% of state original artwork is complete (CA, KY, MI, NY, SD) and will be sent off for high resolution scanning and design enhancements for the book images. This is moving slower than I would have liked, but I wanted to first get everything lined up with Throne before pushing forward with state story lines. At some point soon, I will begin mounting the states onto the 6 foot wide reclaimed wood backing, but still identifying a way to do it precisely so that all the states fit together seamlessly.

• I’m currently in discussions with a local video production company about their involvement with producing 2-5 minute videos of certain state storylines and gauging costs. They do have some very exciting connections nationally that could potentially catapult this project into a “50 in 50” TV series if the right people believed in this project. Stay tuned on this one…..

• Project t-shirts have all been mailed and out the door. If your project rewards included a shirt and you haven’t received one, please message me.

• For those of you waiting on “America’s Game” original artwork rewards and custom artwork rewards, they are next on my radar and will be shipped staggered through the next several months.

Thanks again for backing & believing in me. But more importantly, believing in baseball.

T-Shirt REVEAL - for Backers Only!

Hi Backers - super excited to reveal to you the project t-shirt design below!  

Exclusive project t-shirt for my awesome backers!

 I commissioned the owner of Prints & Repeat, a local graphics design guru in Sioux Falls, to add a three-dimensional shadow backdrop to the artwork image and to include the phrase "Proud to be a Backer" prominently underneath.  I will be placing a one-time order for 144 shirts this weekend, so if you are wanting additional shirts for spouses, family or friends, THIS IS YOUR ONLY CHANCE TO BUY THIS SHIRT.  I have set up a temporary listing on my website where you can order any size Small through XXX-Large.  Just click on the image above or the following link to place your order: http://baseballseamsco.myshopify.com/products/kickstarter-backer-t-shirt-pre-sale  

Backer T-Shirt Pre-Sale ends 6/12/16 and product listing will be permanently removed at that time.    

Shirts will be mailed the last week in June in time for you to wear for 4th of July.  Please take some selfies in your shirts!  I'd love to share them all over social media with hashtag #AmericaAtTheSeams.  

I will have a monthly update on overall project status in about 10 days. 

Best regards, 
Nate