In this episode of the Pine Tar Podcast, Jeff dives into one of the most legendary pieces of cardboard in sports history: the T206 Honus Wagner. He breaks down why this tiny tobacco-era card just sold for over $5 million, what makes it so rare, and how a single family held onto it for generations before it hit the auction block. Along the way, Jeff traces the roots of baseball card collecting—from early 1900s tobacco inserts and brands like Piedmont and Sweet Caporal to the “junk wax” era of the 80s and 90s and his own journey back into the hobby through his kids.

You’ll hear about the magic of 120-year-old cardboard, the connection between baseball history and American culture, and some of Jeff’s favorite vintage cards, including Minnesota and Saint Paul players that hit close to home. If you love the game’s history, collect cards, or just appreciate stories that tie generations of fans together, this episode is for you.

Facebook | Instagram | Tik Tok | YouTube

Nolan Ryan: Grit, Junk Wax, And A Fastball That Wouldn’t Quit

In this episode of the Pine Tar Podcast, Jeff sits down with one of his all-time baseball obsessions: Nolan Ryan. From growing up in the 80s and 90s glued to Ryan’s starts, to finally seeing him pitch in person at the Metrodome, Jeff retraces why the Ryan Express became the ultimate example of how to play the game with grit and love. He walks through the wild numbers – 27 seasons, 5,714 strikeouts, seven no-hitters – but keeps coming back to the stories: the Robin Ventura brawl, the bloody Bo Jackson comebacker, and the way Ryan just kept taking the ball and attacking hitters well into his 40s.

Along the way, Jeff pulls in his baseball card collection, from junk wax-era Score and Upper Deck art cards to a 1971 Topps he hunted down and a reproduction rookie that came with a hard-earned lesson about “autographs” bought online. He talks about visiting Cooperstown, seeing Ryan’s Hall of Fame plaque, and how a kid from Elgin, Texas turned raw velocity into a legacy that still feels larger than life. The episode closes on a personal note – why Nolan Ryan fits perfectly into Pine Tar’s ethos of hustle and heart, and how those old highlights and cardboard pieces still shape the way we love and live baseball today.

Facebook | Instagram | Tik Tok | YouTube

In this episode of the Pine Tar Podcast, Jeff Ruprecht, founder and designer of Pine Tar Clothing, dives into what it really means to love the game of baseball—beyond stats and wins. He talks about grit, getting your uniform dirty, the moments that keep players and fans coming back, and why baseball is one big love story worth celebrating.

Facebook | Instagram | Tik Tok | YouTube

In Episode 1 of Pine Tar Podcast, Jeff Ruprecht — graphic designer, lifelong baseball rat, and founder of Pine Tar Clothing — kicks things off by telling the story behind both his love for the game and the brand itself. He looks back on growing up in central Minnesota farm country, playing on an overgrown church field, riding buses with Legion teammates, and later grinding it out in Minnesota town ball, where he first saw a 90-mile-per-hour fastball and realized just how good local ball could be.​

Jeff unpacks what “playing the game the right way” means to him: dirty jerseys, beat-up helmets, all-out effort, and a deep respect for teammates and the game’s history. He explains how coaching his sons, a late-night conversation about effort, and the gritty image of pine tar sparked the idea for Pine Tar Clothing as a metaphor for hustle, grit, and love for baseball.​

From sketching the first emblem logo during the pandemic to launching the brand, working the College World Series in Omaha, and learning the hard realities of doing pop-ups for two weeks straight, Jeff shares the ups, downs, and lessons of building a baseball lifestyle company. He closes with a look ahead at where the show is headed — from conversations with Pine Tar college athletes to segments on vintage cards, design stories, and the rich history that keeps baseball America’s pastime.​

If you’ve ever fallen in love with a dusty infield, a bus ride home after a big win, or a perfectly broken-in glove, this first episode sets the tone for a podcast that lives where baseball and real life meet.

Facebook | Instagram | Tik Tok | YouTube