Bidding for this lot will end on Friday, March 27th. The auction will begin at 2:00 PM (PDT) / 5:00 PM (EDT) / 9:00 PM (GMT) and lots are sold sequentially via live auctioneer; tune in to the live streaming broadcast on auction day to follow the pace. Note other lots in the auction may close on Wednesday, March 25th or Thursday, March 26th.
An original multi-character production cel setup of Homer Simpson stepping up to bat for the Nuclear Plant softball team as they face off against the Springfield Police from "Homer at the Bat," Season 3, Episode 17. Presented matted with the official 20th Century Fox Animation Art seal and signed by Brad Ableson.
"Homer at the Bat" aired on 20 February 1992 and became the first Simpsons episode to beat The Cosby Show in the ratings. Written by John Swartzwelder and directed by Jim Reardon, it follows Mr Burns staking a million-dollar bet against Aristotle Amadopolis, owner of the Shelbyville Nuclear Plant, that his team will win the championship. To guarantee victory Burns loads the roster with nine Major League Baseball ringers, Roger Clemens, Ken Griffey Jr., Darryl Strawberry, Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith and four others, each of whom falls victim to increasingly deranged misfortune before the game even starts.
Homer, whose homemade "Wonder Bat" has carried the team all season, wins the championship by being hit in the head. Showrunner Al Jean named it among his five essential Simpsons episodes. ESPN ranked it first on their list of the top 100 Simpsons sports moments. Chris Turner in Planet Simpson called it the moment the show's golden age arrived.
This original artwork is signed by Brad Ableson. Brad joined The Simpsons Animation Crew at nineteen, having won an Emmy for his USC student film, and spent twenty seasons on the show as character layout artist and storyboard artist across more than 150 episodes, including The Simpsons Movie (2007). He went on to co-create MTV's Good Vibes and Comedy Central's Legends of Chamberlain Heights, co-directed Minions: The Rise of Gru for Illumination, and is currently co-directing Shrek 5 for DreamWorks.
We are delighted to offer this wonderful piece of Simpsons artwork from Brad Ableson's personal collection. His signature offers a very special addition from one of the people who helped define the show's golden era.
Presented mounted with 20th Century Fox Animation Art authentication seal. Dimensions (mounted): 17.5" x 14.75" (44.5 x 37.5 cm). Sold without copyright; see copyright notice in the Terms and Conditions.
This piece is offered ahead of a special Q&A event with Brad Ableson himself, hosted in Propstore's Virtual Animation Art Gallery on Sunday 22nd March 2026 at 12:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM GMT. A rare opportunity to put your questions directly to one of the architects of The Simpsons' golden era, and now co-director of Shrek 5.
Check propstoreauction.com for details
Estimate: $800 - 1,600