For those who prefer their sports memorabilia with a dose of pop culture, it's hard to top The Simpsons "Homer at the Bat" (Season 3, Episode 17) show that aired Feb. 20, 1992. Homer’s “Wonderbat” made from of a fallen tree struck by lightning (a.k.a. Roy Hobbs’ “Wonderboy” from The Natural) had made him the star of the Springfield Power Plant Softball Team until his secret weapon breaks in batting practice before their biggest game. Luckily, Mr. Burns has hedged by mischievously hiring nine "ringers" to work odd jobs at the plant and be eligible to play on his team so that the greedy mogul could cash in on a $1 million bet with his rival capitalist behemoth from Shelbyville. That's where Steve Sax and eight other early 1990s baseball stars come in, producing one of the most memorable episodes of The Simpsons on record – and certainly the franchise's greatest professional sports-themed show in its ongoing 34-year history.
The recording sessions with these pro ballplayers were enjoyable for the most part, save for a few ego-driven hiccups. (Canseco was reportedly ordering rewrites and generally playing the diva that he was.) All nine players (left to right, starting with top row) – Don Mattingly, Canseco, Darryl Strawberry, Roger Clemens, Ken Griffey Jr., Sax, Ozzie Smith, Wade Boggs and Mike Scioscia – are pictured here in this animation production cel from the famous episode, along with Homer and Mr. Burns. Show creator Matt Groening has signed the colorful cel at the lower right and personalized it, "To Steve, From all your fans at The Simpsons – Matt Groening."
The episode concludes with every MLB player except Strawberry getting involved in a crazy incident that prevented them from playing in the big game, allowing Homer to become the hero once again when he gets plunked with the based loaded (and knocked unconscious) to bring home the winning run. Steve Sax – then a member of the Yankees – gets charged with several murders in New York, prompting him to retort, “But there’s hundreds of unsolved murders in New York City.”
This artistic piece of memorabilia was engineered with the same verve, craftsmanship and attention to detail as the traditional efforts behind the longest-running show on network television. Which is to say, it's perfect. The approx. 9” by 12” cel is matted and framed in red and white to overall dimensions of 14” by 16”. It should be noted that, when SCP Auctions represented the Ozzie Smith Collection in 2012, we sold his personalized “Homer at the Bat” cel for $3,307. This one comes with a letter from Steve Sax and PSA/DNA LOA for Groening's signature.
A portion of the auction proceeds from all items sold in the Steve Sax Collection will benefit the foundation named for Steve’s son, John, who was one of five U.S. Marines killed in a training flight accident in June 2022 in the California desert. The Capt. John J. Sax Foundation “serves to support those who choose to further their education, exploration and passion for flight."