Blaseball may be text-based but it inspires the best fan art in sports

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Blaseball may be text-based but it inspires the best fan art in sportsSpooky baseball

Spooky baseball

Blaseball is not a regular sports betting game, mind. All sorts of supernatural quirks can change the rules or turn players to ash. Players can also buy votes (not for real money) for a say in future changes and events, from stat rerolls on players to the introduction of a peanut economy. The developers, The Game Band roll with fan fiction and theories, and even supposed server failures can be big events. I honestly don’t know how planned any of it is.

After Blaseball went down to a “502 Bad Gateway” error in the middle of a match between the Charleston Shoe Thieves and Los Angeles Tacos last week, it seems time was fractured, leading to an interdimensional peanut addressing players then the Los Angeles Tacos becoming Unlimited Tacos to reflect their new infinitely shattered home city. It’s an event known asThe Grand Unslamand immortalised in this fan’s fantastic picture:

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐌#blaseballpic.twitter.com/ZKMbI1EPyA— Mimi Chiu • 麗人 💖 (@mimichiuchiu)August 8, 2020To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐌#blaseballpic.twitter.com/ZKMbI1EPyA— Mimi Chiu • 麗人 💖 (@mimichiuchiu)August 8, 2020

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐌#blaseballpic.twitter.com/ZKMbI1EPyA

(You will need to click through to tweets for the full versions of artwork, and I’m sorry for the inconvenience but I wanted to keep their original messages and credits firmly attached.)

landry is cool and so is#blaseballpic.twitter.com/v2bDyRi81d— Adam! (@4damAvenue)August 5, 2020To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings

landry is cool and so is#blaseballpic.twitter.com/v2bDyRi81d— Adam! (@4damAvenue)August 5, 2020

landry is cool and so is#blaseballpic.twitter.com/v2bDyRi81d

Though Landry was later incinerated, RIV:

Rest violently, Landry.#blaseball@HadesBlaseballpic.twitter.com/kQdU4MJWQJ— Beetle Wife 🐞 (@beetlewife)August 9, 2020To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings

Rest violently, Landry.#blaseball@HadesBlaseballpic.twitter.com/kQdU4MJWQJ— Beetle Wife 🐞 (@beetlewife)August 9, 2020

Rest violently, Landry.#blaseball@HadesBlaseballpic.twitter.com/kQdU4MJWQJ

Here’s the adorable Richmond Harrison of the Canada Moist Talkers:

And Caligula Lotus of the Boston Flowers:

tw - trypophobia (just in case)THE LOTUS BLOSSOMS#blaseballpic.twitter.com/90LY1ekgXn— nathaniel (MOVED) (@rookfeathersx)August 5, 2020To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings

tw - trypophobia (just in case)THE LOTUS BLOSSOMS#blaseballpic.twitter.com/90LY1ekgXn— nathaniel (MOVED) (@rookfeathersx)August 5, 2020

tw - trypophobia (just in case)THE LOTUS BLOSSOMS#blaseballpic.twitter.com/90LY1ekgXn

Halexandrey Walton of Yellowstone Magic wields her bat in her jaws:

first#blaseballplayer icon!! for@blaseballcoyoteof yellowstone magic ✨pic.twitter.com/5CWsGnNoEb— HORSE 🎠 (@HORSEIZONTAL)August 8, 2020To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings

first#blaseballplayer icon!! for@blaseballcoyoteof yellowstone magic ✨pic.twitter.com/5CWsGnNoEb— HORSE 🎠 (@HORSEIZONTAL)August 8, 2020

first#blaseballplayer icon!! for@blaseballcoyoteof yellowstone magic ✨pic.twitter.com/5CWsGnNoEb

While the Tigers' Jessica Telephone has a legendary bat named the Dial Tone:

wondering if jessica telephone ever gets back pain from how she’s constantly carrying the tigers#blaseballpic.twitter.com/DJnEA8OjIs— HORSE 🎠 (@HORSEIZONTAL)August 6, 2020To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings

wondering if jessica telephone ever gets back pain from how she’s constantly carrying the tigers#blaseballpic.twitter.com/DJnEA8OjIs— HORSE 🎠 (@HORSEIZONTAL)August 6, 2020

wondering if jessica telephone ever gets back pain from how she’s constantly carrying the tigers#blaseballpic.twitter.com/DJnEA8OjIs

Team posters are popular, like this striking one for the Hellmouth Sunbeams (motto: “Stare into the Sun…"):

STARE/SLAM IT INTO THE SUN!#blaseballpic.twitter.com/eH8m1NvPSr— Mimi Chiu • 麗人 💖 (@mimichiuchiu)August 6, 2020To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings

STARE/SLAM IT INTO THE SUN!#blaseballpic.twitter.com/eH8m1NvPSr— Mimi Chiu • 麗人 💖 (@mimichiuchiu)August 6, 2020

STARE/SLAM IT INTO THE SUN!#blaseballpic.twitter.com/eH8m1NvPSr

Or this fun one for the Houston Spies:

Me, two weeks ago: Yeah, I don’t really “get” sports. Like they’re fine, but they’ve never really been my thing.Me now: BLASEBALL. LETSGO. SPIES!!!!!!! LETS GOOOOOO!!!@Houston_Spies @blaseballcomms#blaseballpic.twitter.com/jyMDU4vHXX— Pyromantic (@PyromanticArts)August 5, 2020To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings

Such fun posters:

MORE BLASEBALL. ALWAYS BLASEBALL. THERE WAS NO BEFORE.#neverlookback#blaseball@HadesBlaseball@hifridays@blaseballcommspic.twitter.com/JiiYgDJN3q— Pyromantic (@PyromanticArts)August 6, 2020To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings

MORE BLASEBALL. ALWAYS BLASEBALL. THERE WAS NO BEFORE.#neverlookback#blaseball@HadesBlaseball@hifridays@blaseballcommspic.twitter.com/JiiYgDJN3q— Pyromantic (@PyromanticArts)August 6, 2020

MORE BLASEBALL. ALWAYS BLASEBALL. THERE WAS NO BEFORE.#neverlookback#blaseball@HadesBlaseball@hifridays@blaseballcommspic.twitter.com/JiiYgDJN3q

Some pictures commemorate matches:

Splortsmanship, splortsmanship, is DEAD.#blaseballpic.twitter.com/rLYh6yMwyp— cj (@ceeejus)August 4, 2020To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings

Splortsmanship, splortsmanship, is DEAD.#blaseballpic.twitter.com/rLYh6yMwyp— cj (@ceeejus)August 4, 2020

Splortsmanship, splortsmanship, is DEAD.#blaseballpic.twitter.com/rLYh6yMwyp

Others celebrate transfers:

Or express a… threat? A mood? A motion:

Baseball cards are popular:

🔥🐅 NEVER LOOK BACK 🐅🔥#blaseball(logo based on@4damAvenue’s wonderful design!)pic.twitter.com/PrAtuG74EN— saph 📌post-CF19 order (@Sphr_AM)August 5, 2020To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings

🔥🐅 NEVER LOOK BACK 🐅🔥#blaseball(logo based on@4damAvenue’s wonderful design!)pic.twitter.com/PrAtuG74EN— saph 📌post-CF19 order (@Sphr_AM)August 5, 2020

🔥🐅 NEVER LOOK BACK 🐅🔥#blaseball(logo based on@4damAvenue’s wonderful design!)pic.twitter.com/PrAtuG74EN

So many baseball cards:

All of the baseball cards:

Percival Wheeler of the@LoversBlaseball, charging up her signature move “Knighthood MAX”#blaseballpic.twitter.com/g0B8RYTgLF— Carina Guevara (@cari_guevara)August 9, 2020

Percival Wheeler of the@LoversBlaseball, charging up her signature move “Knighthood MAX”#blaseballpic.twitter.com/g0B8RYTgLF

— Carina Guevara (@cari_guevara)August 9, 2020

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Some fan art is just an ethos:

Charleston Shoe Thieveslinocut print, 6”x6”#blaseballpic.twitter.com/SnlFzbeoYe— Corvidae of Reckoning (@joshmillard)August 1, 2020To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings

Charleston Shoe Thieveslinocut print, 6”x6”#blaseballpic.twitter.com/SnlFzbeoYe— Corvidae of Reckoning (@joshmillard)August 1, 2020

Charleston Shoe Thieveslinocut print, 6”x6”#blaseballpic.twitter.com/SnlFzbeoYe

And, of course, many acknowledge that The Commissioner is doing a great job:

#blaseballpic.twitter.com/3nw2VFdCPi— evil deadman (@Orbitaldropkick)August 5, 2020To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings

#blaseballpic.twitter.com/3nw2VFdCPi— evil deadman (@Orbitaldropkick)August 5, 2020

#blaseballpic.twitter.com/3nw2VFdCPi

When it was finally time to sign up, I struggled to pick a team to support. The Hades Tigers (motto: “Never look back”) have a thrilling vibe and Jessica Telephone is an obvious hero of the sport. The Tigers having so many fans (especially after winning last championship) does mean they have a load of great fan art too, which I won’t deny is one of my main motivations:

MANY STRIPES!ONE TIGER!#blaseballpic.twitter.com/kz8bNlf5ov— Wren (@wrendorphin)August 5, 2020To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings

MANY STRIPES!ONE TIGER!#blaseballpic.twitter.com/kz8bNlf5ov— Wren (@wrendorphin)August 5, 2020

MANY STRIPES!ONE TIGER!#blaseballpic.twitter.com/kz8bNlf5ov

Really, so much great Tigers art. It’s always pleasing to imagine a baseball shirt with VIOLENCE across the shoulders:

I will confess that Boyfriend Monreal singlehandedly almost got me supporting the Kansas City Breath Mints:

?? Boyfriend, Boyfriend, vote for Boyfriend! Who’s the best? It’s our pal Boyfriend! ??pic.twitter.com/MLWQWacWZw— annie! (@dancynrew)August 5, 2020

?? Boyfriend, Boyfriend, vote for Boyfriend! Who’s the best? It’s our pal Boyfriend! ??pic.twitter.com/MLWQWacWZw

— annie! (@dancynrew)August 5, 2020

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But… one team had a scrappy, dirtbag, outsider vibe I really liked:

The Shoe Thieves need more fans.#blaseballpic.twitter.com/7UISk0vVSF— Cedric Adams (@Cedrissimoq)August 7, 2020To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings

The Shoe Thieves need more fans.#blaseballpic.twitter.com/7UISk0vVSF— Cedric Adams (@Cedrissimoq)August 7, 2020

The Shoe Thieves need more fans.#blaseballpic.twitter.com/7UISk0vVSF

Amongst all this great fan art, this one bold image is what won me over to the Charleston Shoe Thieves:

Rooting for you!!#blaseballpic.twitter.com/ZPT0UacxLg— annie! (@dancynrew)August 1, 2020To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings

Rooting for you!!#blaseballpic.twitter.com/ZPT0UacxLg— annie! (@dancynrew)August 1, 2020

Rooting for you!!#blaseballpic.twitter.com/ZPT0UacxLg

Your kicks are my kicks. Let’s go, Shoe Thieves!

There are so many more good pictures than I could possibly include, this is just a sample. Hit#blaseball on Twitterand go wild with gawping yourself. You can also readthis fan wikifor retellings of matches and backstories, a collaborative storytelling project which is a bit too much for me but I still respect it. You’re encouraged to believe whatever you want about the sport of Blaseball and its players. And draw cool pictures of it.

Blaseball is"taking an extended siesta"after the championship wrapped up on the weekend, but is planned to return for weekly leagues with new features, fixes, and such. For now, you can head on over toBlaseball’s siteto sign up for free and poke around the wreckage of last season, trying to understand exactly what happened.