New, safer batting helmets to become standard in baseball Ted Berg, USA TODAY Sports New helmets feature carbon fiber shell that%27s 300 percent stiffer and 130 times stronger than previous standard.

Carter has been producing the replica mini helmets for 15 years now. He and his parents will create custom decals. He starts with a blank Ridell helmet, either with color or he will paint them.

Some 100 million yen ($675,000) later, spent on 300-odd collectibles, renovations and security, the pair are the proud owners of a mini-museum dedicated to the Japanese baseball player inside ...