Behind The Plate: Cubs Authentics
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Want a piece of Wrigley Field?
"We have 18-inch sections of Wrigley Field bleacher bench that are still available."
What about a piece of the game?
"Here we have a broken bat from Kris Bryant."
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How about that foul ball?
"We have a variety of game-used baseballs from various games."
The Cubs Authentics program began in 2012 and is designed to cut out the middle man and combat fraud.
"You're getting stuff directly from the Chicago Cubs, the players and the team -- it's a really neat program," said John Morrison, assistant director of brand development and activation for the Cubs.
From casual fans to hard-core collectors, Morrison says, there's something for everyone. Uniforms, cleats, helmets and game used baseballs, he says, are the most popular items.
"Throughout the game, we are pulling baseballs that are discarded, we have them hologramed, and they are available that day," he said.
And with the 1060 Renovation project ongoing, Morrison says you never know what you'll find as you peel away the layers of one of the oldest ballparks in the country.
"It's stuff that we didn't even know existed in the ballpark that was still there," he said. "A few years ago, when they replaced the field, there was a concrete base to a field goal post for when the Bears played at Wrigley Field, so there were still elements from the Bears tenure here that people never knew about until we started peeling back the layers. As the restoration goes through different phases, we're going to look to seats, scoreboard tiles, and various things that come from the ballpark to be made available to fans."
Morrison says they also have a weekly auction and often times fill special request orders. The Cubs Authentics kiosk can be found on the third-base line concourse. All proceeds go to Cubs Charities.
"What Cubs Authentics provides is the ability to connect with the team, the player, the ballpark beyond your traditional merchandise and it all goes to charity, so that's unique," he said.
"There's something about a ball or a base having the dirt marks, the nicks, a mark from your favorite player's bat on that ball, you can't have a closer connection to the game."
