There are many creative ways to preserve a moment lost in time, and sometimes it can happen by complete and utter accident. In fact, it can start out as randomly as an off-hand suggestion made by a baseball-crazy brother.

And that's essentially how Dan Carpenter of Saugus, California, found himself suddenly thrust into the role of amateur model builder extraordinaire. It took 1,100 man-hours and more than $4,000 of his own money but Carpenter meticulously constructed a faithful 1:16 scale model replica of Ebbets Field, home to the old Brooklyn Dodgers.

But it's more than just a stadium. The entire scene represents how the ballpark looked right before Game 3 of the 1955 World Series.

"As I was building it, it took on a life of its own," says Carpenter who spent nearly five months purchasing materials and ultimately constructing his masterpiece.