1986 Atari Championship Belt

[Cousin Vinnie]

One of the weirdest (and nicest) presents I ever received, I just got this weekend in Chicago. Some of you know that I am a wrestler, and a pro wrestling fan that knows I'm into Atari purchased and gifted me this Atari Title belt. I like it a lot... but I'm not sure what I have nor why it exists. 

 

A few weird caveats here. Making pro wrestling belts for other competitions (hot dog eating contests and fantasy football leagues) are kinda a newish thing, so one existing in 1986 for an Atari gimmick is a bit odd to me. And the guy that sold it to the fan claimed it was from a guy that won the $50,000 Atari tournament in Chicago in 1986. I can't find that there was even an Atari championship in 1986 online, and I find that odd that a competition like that existed since the video game crash and Atari was focusing on computers mainly at that point. Also, the side plates feature a Pac-Man plate (Namco- not Atari) AND an Alien Brigade plate (cool), but AB is only for the 7800 and came out in 1990. Also, for a belt that is nearing 40 years of age, it is in prestige condition. 

I'd like to get your thoughts on whether or not this belt is or could be a legit prize from a 1986 Atari World Championship competition in Chicago. Any help is appreciated. 

Funk

[+SmittyB]

I can't comment on the belt itself, but as you pointed out the Alien Brigade artwork is anachronistic for something purporting to be from the mid 80's, and I can also confirm that the Pac-Man image is from the cover of Pac-Man Collection. My PMC box credits "box art and label by Atariboy2600".

[+MrZarniwoop]

At least happened in 1981:

 

https://allincolorforaquarter.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-atari-50000-centipede-fiasco.html

[+MattelAquarius]

Interesting item!

 

Based on the discrepancies, it's either a total fake, a botched "restoration" but real, or an artifact from an alternate timeline. 

 

Still cool either way.  I'd totally wear that while playing the 7800's wrestling games. 

 

 

[Benny martin]

But why go through these lengths to fake it? Its not like people were running around looking for an atari wrestling belt! And the artwork is consistent with the times. The only part that isn't is alien brigade,which would have come out 3 years later.but it could've already been on arcade.or a secret game they released for the tournament (a la super Mario 3 in the wizard) I think it's real. Like you said,maybe a botched restoration.

[Albert]

11 minutes ago, Benny martin said:

The only part that isn't is alien brigade

The artwork from one of the panels is from the 7800 homebrew Pac-Man Collection, which is relatively new compared to everything else.  Also, I can't imagine Atari would have included Alien Brigade versus many of their well-known arcade titles they could have drawn upon instead.

 

Aaaaand, a minimal amount of searching revealed a photo of this same belt on a page from a company that manufacturers wrestling belts...

 

 

Here's the page with the photo:

 

https://www.facebook.com/BeltsMania001/photos/1610586462468644

 

Here's the company's main page on Facebook:

 

https://www.facebook.com/BeltsMania001

 

I've already sent them a message and asked them if they manufactured this belt.  But I'm 99.9% confident at this point that this is a brand new belt created very recently by the above company.

 

 ..Al

[Cousin Vinnie]

31 minutes ago, Albert said:

The artwork from one of the panels is from the 7800 homebrew Pac-Man Collection, which is relatively new compared to everything else.  Also, I can't imagine Atari would have included Alien Brigade versus many of their well-known arcade titles they could have drawn upon instead.

 

Aaaaand, a minimal amount of searching revealed a photo of this same belt on a page from a company that manufacturers wrestling belts...

 

 

Here's the page with the photo:

 

https://www.facebook.com/BeltsMania001/photos/1610586462468644

 

Here's the company's main page on Facebook:

 

https://www.facebook.com/BeltsMania001

 

I've already sent them a message and asked them if they manufactured this belt.  But I'm 99.9% confident at this point that this is a brand new belt created very recently by the above company.

 

 ..Al

Wow- I looked all over and couldnt find anything. It's a weird friggin belt for sure. Thanks AL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

Edited May 14, 2021 by Cousin Vinnie

[Albert]

4 minutes ago, Cousin Vinnie said:

Wow- I looked all over and couldnt find anything. It's a weird friggin belt for sure. Thanks AL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You're welcome!

 

 ..Al

[Albert]

I received a message back from "Belts Mania", confirming that they did indeed create that belt.

Whoops, that should have been, "back in the day". 

 

..Al

[Benny martin]

Ok so it was made new! But the question is.was it made new off an existing belt? Theres 2 things here. Either A: it was made new by a manufacturer off and older belt. Or B: its the coolest mother fuckin belt on planet earth! Cause it was made to honor said tournament and its pays homage to atari. You can also tell by looking at it,they spared no expense to have it made and to have it made with the Nostaliga feeling. It easily cost a couple hundred bucks. So either way its a win/win.

[Cousin Vinnie]

3 hours ago, Benny martin said:

Ok so it was made new! But the question is.was it made new off an existing belt? Theres 2 things here. Either A: it was made new by a manufacturer off and older belt. Or B: its the coolest mother fuckin belt on planet earth! Cause it was made to honor said tournament and its pays homage to atari. You can also tell by looking at it,they spared no expense to have it made and to have it made with the Nostaliga feeling. It easily cost a couple hundred bucks. So either way its a win/win.

I definitely dig it. I think it was a fabrication of imagination at this point. Who knows? Whatever the case its cool af and really weird. 

[Benny martin]

That's my guess to vinnie.im picturing this scenario.it was probably a bunch of guys who got together for their own atari tournament in one of his buddys houses and they had it made with the artworks of the original tournament. It probably sat in some guys mancave for years. If i had to guess,either some dude passed away and his wife sold his shit.or he sold it because she made him! lol either way its an amazing piece of artwork. Its a masterpiece and you can tell it was well taken care of. Enjoy it!

[CPUWIZ]

1 hour ago, Benny martin said:

Its a masterpiece and you can tell it was well taken care of.

 

I am sure Atariboy will like the comment, since his artwork is on it.  Well taken care of, for what 3 years?  I personally don't like it, if you make a repro or fan piece like this, at least get the artwork right and not use artwork from someone from AA (probably without permission), that was made in the 2000's.

[Benny martin]

59 minutes ago, CPUWIZ said:

 

I am sure Atariboy will like the comment, since his artwork is on it.  Well taken care of, for what 3 years?  I personally don't like it, if you make a repro or fan piece like this, at least get the artwork right and not use artwork from someone from AA (probably without permission), that was made in the 2000's.

Why you gotta shit on this dudes parade? lol I think it looks fantastic.it obviously wasn't meant to be of wwe quality or anything. You say 00s. And it probably was. But if it was (and it obviously was) something just passed around between drinking buddies.whats the harm? Any Atari fan would love it. Especially since the dude said it was gifted to him.

[Benny martin]

ok so this is the belt they made but they didnt originally make it.he made it off of a picture.

[Benny martin]

1 hour ago, Benny martin said:

ok so this is the belt they made but they didnt originally make it.he made it off of a picture.

 

[Benny martin]

There is your answer. This explains everything.it explains alien brigade.it even explains if the pictures were thst blurry they might have mistaken 1981 for 1986.so you have a copy.still a very nice one though.whoever gifted it probably isn't even aware its a copy.

[CPUWIZ]

 

3 hours ago, Benny martin said:

Why you gotta shit on this dudes parade?

 

See, that is what is wrong with society these days, you can't speak the truth anymore, because the truth often hurts.

 

3 hours ago, Benny martin said:

I think it looks fantastic.it obviously wasn't meant to be of wwe quality or anything.

 

I didn't say anything about how it looks nor the quality, I simply stated that I would not have put it out like that, it isn't accurate.  It's like using XBOX Doom screenshots on a SNES box to me.  Or putting the emblem of a 2010 VW onto a 1970's Bug.

 

3 hours ago, Benny martin said:

You say 00s.

 

I know.

 

3 hours ago, Benny martin said:

whats the harm?

 

None yet, but it could be used to do harm.

 

3 hours ago, Benny martin said:

Any Atari fan would love it.

 

Nope.

 

You wasted a ton of that persons time, do you feel bad about it?

[Benny martin]

14 minutes ago, CPUWIZ said:

 

 

See, that is what is wrong with society these days, you can't speak the truth anymore, because the truth often hurts.

 

 

I didn't say anything about how it looks nor the quality, I simply stated that I would not have put it out like that, it isn't accurate.  It's like using XBOX Doom screenshots on a SNES box to me.  Or putting the emblem of a 2010 VW onto a 1970's Bug.

 

 

I know.

 

 

None yet, but it could be used to do harm.

 

 

Nope.

 

You wasted a ton of that persons time, do you feel bad about it?

You know something? I actually agree with just about everything you said. Except, how could it be used to do harm? I dont feel like i wasted his time. He actually kept messaging me lol. And yes it was inaccurate but if the dude was working off some blurry ass picture,from some magazine back in 1981,I think he did a pretty good job! But you and I aren't arguing! were all brothers of atari.

[CPUWIZ]

If it is ever sold as "real" it could fool a rookie collector.  Not that Vinnie would do that, but that isn't really the point.

 

You could have one made, wrap it in a blanket/towel and some change, put it in the dryer and let it bang around for 30 minutes, then leave it sitting in the open in your garage for a few months, to collect some dust and motor oil from the air and claim it's vintage.

 

1.) Buy repro.

2.) Be a deceiving greedy dipshit.

3.) Profit.

 

Not quite the Underpant Gnomes motto, but you get it.

[Benny martin]

5 minutes ago, CPUWIZ said:

If it is ever sold as "real" it could fool a rookie collector.  Not that Vinnie would do that, but that isn't really the point.

 

You could have one made, wrap it in a blanket/towel and some change, put it in the dryer and let it bang around for 30 minutes, then leave it sitting in the open in your garage for a few months, to collect some dust and motor oil from the air and claim it's vintage.

 

1.) Buy repro.

2.) Be a deceiving greedy dipshit.

3.) Profit.

 

Not quite the Underpant Gnomes motto, but you get it.

Lmao!!! Got it! So your problem isnt with vinnie or the guy who gifted it to him, your problem is with the manufacturer for not doing his job and making it accurate! Now see I can agree with you there.it wouldve taken all of 3 minutes to find out what games were out in 81 (or even 86) I really don't think vinnie will ever sell it though. It was still incredibly awesome for someone to go through the time and expense and give it to him.

[Benny martin]

2 minutes ago, Benny martin said:

Lmao!!! Got it! So your problem isnt with vinnie or the guy who gifted it to him, your problem is with the manufacturer for not doing his job and making it accurate! Now see I can agree with you there.it wouldve taken all of 3 minutes to find out what games were out in 81 (or even 86) I really don't think vinnie will ever sell it though. It was still incredibly awesome for someone to go through the time and expense and give it to him.

 

11 minutes ago, CPUWIZ said:

If it is ever sold as "real" it could fool a rookie collector.  Not that Vinnie would do that, but that isn't really the point.

 

You could have one made, wrap it in a blanket/towel and some change, put it in the dryer and let it bang around for 30 minutes, then leave it sitting in the open in your garage for a few months, to collect some dust and motor oil from the air and claim it's vintage.

 

1.) Buy repro.

2.) Be a deceiving greedy dipshit.

3.) Profit.

 

Not quite the Underpant Gnomes motto, but you get it.

Also you got to think,what you said is true (it is) but you could do that with anything. You could go buy a second print comic and sell it as a first. Or buy a Michael Jordan cars and sign it and sell it as real. Or you can buy a vase from kmart and say its priceless. Theres dumb rookie collectors all over.just as theres people without morals screwing them over. you just got to hope not to run into either! 

[CPUWIZ]

People have unfortunately taken advantage of several collectors lack of knowledge already.  If you ever want to find out if something is real or not, post it on AA, you will likely get the correct answer.  Unless it is some obscure thing for a system that hasn't a great fanbase around here.

 

And no, I didn't mean make the fake better, it's great it isn't accurate!  It made it easy to identify.

 

Which was done here already...

 

 

[Benny martin]

3 minutes ago, CPUWIZ said:

People have unfortunately taken advantage of several collectors lack of knowledge already.  If you ever want to find out if something is real or not, post it on AA, you will likely get the correct answer.  Unless it is some obscure thing for a system that hasn't a great fanbase around here.

 

And no, I didn't mean make the fake better, it's great it isn't accurate!  It made it easy to identify.

 

Which was done here already...

 

 

Agreed! A very nice gesture. A nice display piece. Better its inaccurate so less likely anyone would get screwed. (not saying vinnie would) and a cool story to tell about how he got it.  We cool homie?! No hard feelings?!