Wish List Update

Over the last few months, I have made a few trades and found a few reasonably priced items that I jumped on.  I have six wish list items that have found their way into my collections so they fall of the list:  Ernie Banks, Harold Baines, Josh Willingham, Jake Peavy NASCAR, George Scott and Todd Helton)

That leaves 19 items on the list:

1     Boog Powell (Red Cross)
2     Ernie Whitt SGA
3     Andre Dawson SGA (Expos)
4     Lefty O'Doul SGA
5     Tim Raines SGA (Expos)
6     Stomper Mascot (Oakland Kids Club 2003)
7     Norm Cash & Bill Freehan 2010 Great Lakes SGA
8     Ozzie Smith (AGP HOF)
9     Mookie Wilson SGA
10   Ryan Zimmerman 2010 SGA
11   Dennis Eckersley SGA
12   Frank Thomas White Sox SGA
13   Eric Davis Reds SGA
14   Dave Parker Lumber Co. SGA
15  Tino Martinez SGA
16   Rickey Henderson Stolen Base King
17   Larry Walker Rockies SGA
18   Lance Berkman (Original SGA and superhero)
19   Lou Whitaker SGA (Grand Rapids)

I will now post the six new additions:

20.  Nomar Garciaparra SGA (Boston)

It actually has kind of a strange facial look about it, but as far as I know it is the only SGA ever done at Fenway.  That gives Boston the shortest team bobblehead list by a mile.  There are some aspects that actually look a little primitive (i.e. big shoes, hands) which are unique.  You also have to respect the Dunkin' Donuts sponsorship.

 

 

21.  Stan Musial Cardinals SGA

 

It would be a waste of all of our time for me to say something about Musial that hasn't been said.  Based on his career, it would have been cool to work in some tribute to his greatness as a switch hitter, but I do like the old Cardinal uniform, bronze base and stance.  Some people apparently think that they can  put their kids through college by selling this item...but there are enough others to make it available for a reasonable price.

 

 

 

22.  Prince Fielder Home Run Champ SGA (Milwaukee)

 

CAPTURED (AND THE PRICE WAS RIGHT)

 

I liked Prince a lot when he played for the Brewers...much more than being just another highly-priced free agent like is became in Detroit.  Either way, he is a very good player who doesn't blend into the crowd.  Bobblehead politics require that you can't make the statue as hefty as the player is, but they actually tried to show that he is a big dude.  I really like the retro 1980s uniform, but I am leaning toward the navy and white version because it is what he actually wore.  The crown is a nice touch.

 

 

 

22.  Fred Patek Royals SGA

 

CAPTURED (AND THE PRICE WAS RIGHT

 

 

For a number of reasons, I really like the Royals franchise.  From the bobblehead perspective, they work nicely because they had one really excellent era and a number of memorable names from it.  Other than choosing condiments over a few deserving ex-Royals they have done a good job with their subjects...and most of their pieces are not difficult or expensive to acquire.  I have actually obtained a fair number of Royals, and have decided that Patek is the nect logical add.  It isn't an over-the-top likeness and has no really memorable element, but it seems like it would be possible to get the whole Royals HOF without killing myself....and if anyone is listening, I have an extra Willie Wilson to trade.  

 

 

 

22.  Tony Womack 2001 SGA (Diamondbacks)

 

I always hated the Diamondbacks purple uniforms.  Great team name - and I really like the new Sedona red.  But now that I can see the purple only in the past, I like them on bobbleheads.  I feel the same way about the 1980s White Sox uniforms.  That brings me to Tony Womack.  Historically, he is not a big deal.  However, he was a key player in their fun World Series win in 2001 and looking at this bobblehead, I really like the pronounced eyebrows, and the pose is somewhat unusual.  Add in the happily forgotten purple, and he would sit well next to Johnson and Schilling on the shelf. My only question is whether he is bunting or just standing there holding a bat.

 

 

 

 23.  Ryne Sandberg 2009 SGA (Cubs)

 

Sandberg was always one of my favorite players.  He is, of course, a Hall of Famer, and is one of the most beloved players ever for the Cubs.  This bobblehead not only depicts a great player, but it is also a great likeness.  I suspect that it will be another that won't come cheap, but he will look good next to Banks, Jenkins, Santo and Williams.  I like the blue Cubs uniform much more on the bobblehead than on the field.

 

 

 

24.  Carlos Gonzales 20th Anniversary (Rockies)

 

There was also an SGA Cargo in 2011, but after some deliberation, I like the 2013 20th Anniversary retail version better.  The purple jersey is unusual among Rocks bobbles, the face is a little less generic than the SGA (although neither is a stunning likeness) and the front leg kick with shin guard is cool.  I would jump at either one if it were at the right price, but I prefer this one.  I am very light on Rockies, and Carlos is one of my son's favorite players.

 

 

 

25. Ichiro Suzuki 2012 SGA (Mariners)

 

There are a large number of Ichiro bobbleheads out there, and a review indicates that the Mariners have given out at least four of them.  I happen to prefer this one because it looks the most like Ichiro. He is the icon of the Mariner franchise after Ken Griffey, Jr. and the teal jersey and leading off pose is solid.  I may choose another Ichiro if the right one was available, but this is the leader of the list right now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best and Worst Baseball "Concept Bobbleheads"

I am posting my first list.  I am not posting these as any kind of authority, but to initiate some discussion among collectors and look for ideas on cool items that I may not have.

My first list is my favorite and least favorite "concept bobbleheads".  I define these loosely as bobbleheads that are not pure player representations.  I will call those that are simply a player "baseball card bobbleheads".  The lists below are those that are attempting to convey some message other than purely depicting a player.  They may commemorate an event, some attribute of a player or simply try to be creative.  My lists are five long for starters and will increase as visitors make suggestions.

My five favorite Concept Bobbleheads based on some initial thinking are:

5.  Barry Bonds counter bobblehead.  I am not a big fan of Bonds, but the idea of a counter as he chased the homerun record is creative.  To me, Hank Aaron is still the homerun king, but I love this idea.

  Image from baseballsnatcher.mlbblogs.com.

4.  Rickey Henderson Stolen Base King bobblehead.  This is one on my wish list.  There have been a handful of moments in recent times that we all recognize, and Henderson's claiming of the stolen base record is one of them.  Anyone who sees it knows exactly what it shows.  Rickey was all over the place during the second half of his career, and I am glad that he accomplished this feat with the A's.  Very good likeness of Rickey and a great moment.

 

 

3. Boog Powell blood drive bobblehead.  Another one from my wish list.  Boog was a very good player and is a fixture in Baltimore as the owner of Boog's barbeque.  Place a chef's hat on him makes this one fun, and is (as far as I know) the only bobblehead of a popular, all-star player.

 

  Image from www.bobblebums.com

 

2.  Minnie and Paul Twins mascot bobblehead.  There are two of these out there.  One was an SGA and one was sold at Twins Pro Shops. I am showing the SGA version because it has the state outline behind them with the river flowing down the middle.  The retail version was actually two separate statues with a magnetic handshake.  Anyone who has followed the Twins for a long time loves this logo.

 

 

1.  Rick Monday flag bobblehead.  While many of the newer concept bobbles are long reaches, this one is utterly brilliant.  The night that Monday grabbed the flag from the two idiots who jumped onto the field to burn it is a "forever moment" on the ball field.  Interestingly, while Monday is depicted in the Cubs uniform that he wore that night, it was actually a Dodger SGA.  Nice work LA.

 

 

AND NOW...My list of the five weakest concept bobbleheads that I have seen.

 

5.  Royals' condiment bobbleheads.  I know that many people like these and they look kind of cool, but the Royals must have run completely out of ideas.  They have some notable players who have yet to be made (i.e. Amos Otis and Bo Jackson).  The Brewers can make sausages because they mean something to the team (between innings races dating back several years and the city's ethnic history of sausage-making) but please explain to me how condiments have a special meaning to the Royals.  Last I checked, I could get ketchup or mustard on a hot dog at 29 other ballparks.

 

 

 

4.  Main Cain running bobblehead.  OK, I get that it was given out at a 5k, but it looks like some average blonde guy in running wear.  At least the Sergio Romo race bobblehead had a cap and jersey.  This one is only about baseball because the shirt says "Giants on it".  If I look at the face first, it looks more like Mike Modano to me.

 

 

 

3.  C.C.Sabathia Disco bobblehead.  Let's see, it looks like any generic black guy, has no physical resemblance to Sabathia's physical stature, and evokes a brand of music that was dead before C.C. was born.  At least he is wearing a glove (see #4 above).  The Indians should have separated these two promos and given out Indians belt buckles or leisure suit t-shirts.

 

 

 

2.  Adam Dunn/David Letterman bobblehead.  I simply don't get it.  The only common thread is that Dunn striking out has happened as often as Letterman has milked the same jokes.  I was a big Letterman fan 25 years ago when he was funny, but someone please explain to me how these two concepts align.  I suppose it could be worse.  The Yankees could have created A-Rod in a Madonna costume.

 

 Image from bleacherreport.com

 

1.  Hunter Pence Go Green bobblehead.  First of all, it doesn't look like Hunter Pence.  Second of all, while I am certainly not anti-environment, "Go Green" is a tired phrase that is empty without some specific message.  "Hey, he planted a tree. Wow!".  This could have been interesting if the shovel had a bat for the handle, or Pence's jeans were hiked way up and he was wearing stirrups.  The recently retired Astros uniforms were really bad, and look even worse in green. Worse than a yawn, its trite and boring....and it's Hunter Pence.

 

 

 

Phillies Bobblehead Site

I happened upon a nice site the walks through all of the Phillies modern bobble heads (as well as other SGA items).  The site is philliessga.com.  The site owner does a nice job of capturing all of I the SGAs as well as some limited availability retails and season ticket group leader giveaways.  Hats off to the site     owner, although I have to wonder why the Phillies have yet to issue statues of Robin Roberts, Jim Bunning or Richie Ashburn.  I realize that they have been a very strong franchise in recent years, but I'd love to see some franchise greats in addition to Bowa, Schmidt and Carlton rather than multiple issues of current stars.

Open Question About Rays Bobbleheads

Over time I have acquired two Tampa Bay Rays bobbleheads (Garza and Longoria).  In both cases they turned out to be smaller than the usual pieces.  I am wondering if anyone out there knows whether all of the Rays bobbles are undersized?

WISH LIST ITEMS 21-25

So far....listed below: Boog Powell, Ernie Banks, Ernie Whitt, Jake Peavy NASCAR, Andre Dawson, Harold Baines, Tim Raines, Dennis Eckersley, Bill Freehan & Norm Cash, Stomper, Mookie Wilson, Ozzie Smith, Josh Willingham, Lefty O'Doul,  Ryan Zimmerman, Eric Davis, George Scott, Frank Thomas, Todd Helton and Dave Parker....and the final 5 are:

21.  Tino Martinez SGA 2001 (New York Yankees)

I am very light on Yankees, and have no SGA.  I always liked Tino, beginning when he was a member of Team USA in 1988.  That team had a number of guys who had great MLB careers.

 

22.  Lance Berkman SGA & Superhero (Houston Astros)

I have all of the Twins superheroes which are cool and unusual. I have started trying to see if I can pull together a list of all of them.  Will publish when its done.  I have always liked Berkman, in part because I drafted him in an APBA league as a rookie in the sixth round when mostly career backups were all that was left.  Berkman proved that I am a genius.

 

23.  Lou Whitaker SGA (Detroit Tigers)

When the Twins were awful in the early 1980s, Whitaker and Alan Trammel became two of my favorite players, especially because I was a middle infielder.  I have Trammell, although his bobble was when he was a manager...and I'd prefer to forget his managerial stint in Detroit.  I am still trying to determine whether there has been/will be a Whitaker in Detroit.  I thought I saw that, but now I am only seeing info on a minor league affiliate doing a Whitaker.  Would love some info on this.



24. Rickey Henderson SGA (Oakland Athletics)

I heard all the stories about when a prima donna he was as a player, but have since read some things that indicate that he is a much better person than we gave him credit for.  Either way, he's the greatest leadoff man ever and it was fun watching he steal bases, except against the Twins. 

(image from:  www.rickeyhendersoncollectibles.com)

25. Larry Walker SGA (Colorado Rockies)

Solid player from another team that I am light on.  The intensity in the eyes gives this one a very strong resemblance to Walker himself. 

 (image from:  baseballsnatcher.mlblogs.com )

Wish List Items 16-20

So far....listed below: Boog Powell, Ernie Banks, Ernie Whitt, Jake Peavy NASCAR, Andre Dawson, Harold Baines, Tim Raines, Dennis Eckersley, Bill Freehan & Norm Cash, Stomper, Mookie Wilson, Ozzie Smith, Josh Willingham, Lefty O'Doul, and Ryan Zimmerman.

My bobblehead wish list continues...

16.  Frank Thomas SGA (Chicago White Sox)

You have to love anyone with the nickname "The Big Hurt".  An amazingly dangerous offensive force and someone who always seemed to love being on the ball field.  Soon to be HOFer.

 (image from www.butterfunk.com)

17.  Eric Davis SGA 2002 (Cincinnati Reds)

Was a great talent in his day, and was largely underrated for his career.  As I was thinking about adding either Davis or Sabo from the early Reds issues.  Sabo is more unique with the goggles, but Davis was the better player.

18.  Dave Parker SGA Lumber Company (Pittsburgh Pirates)

A very inexpensive item, but Parker was a force when I was a kid. Had some solid HOF credentials, but never got a lot of support.  Despite some off the field issues, he was always a cool player.

19.  Todd Helton SGA (Colorado Rockies)

I have only one Colorado bobblehead and Helton is the face of that franchise up till now.  Piece itself is quite sharp.

 (image from www.gameuseduniverse.com)

 

20. George Scott SGA (Milwaukee Brewers)

I will always remember Boomer for the necklace, long before every guy had his titanium rope around the neck.  Big and powerful, but an excellent first baseman.  Since the Brewers moved to the NL I have always cheered for them because I went to college in Milwaukee and in honor of my late friend Steve Gorczany who was a huge Brewer fan.

(image from http://bobbleheaddolls51565.yuku.com)

Reds Bobblehead Information Source

While checking the details on a couple of pieces, I stumbled upon one of the best single team bobbleheads information sites that I have seen.  The link to "Henry's Random Thoughts" has excellent, detailed information about both the Reds' bobblehead issues and collecting in general.  This is a link I will hang on to, as it covers all of Reds modern bobblehead history from 2001-present. Nice work.

My Bobblehead Wish List - Volume 3

Items 11-15

Here are the next group that I am seeking to acquire.  Pretty soon, I will need to list my trading inventory on the off chance that someone out there is interested in making a deal.

11.  Josh Willingham 2013 SGA (Minnesota Twins)

Twins' (my team) mainstay looks very cool with the hammer in place of the bat.

12.  Ozzie Smith AGP Hall of Fame (San Diego Padres or St. Louis Cardinals)

I like the Padres uniform better, although the Cardinals version has him wearing the glove, which was his trademark.  Ozzie is another great player from my younger years who deserves a place on my shelf.  I also like the upcoming 2013 SGA which might suffice.

13.  Mookie Wilson 2001 SGA (New York Mets)

On the evening of June 22, 1978, Wilson married Rosa Gilbert at home plate of Smith-Wills Stadium in Jackson, Mississippi. Wilson played in the outfield for the Class AA Jackson Mets at the time. The ceremony was conducted before a hometown crowd of 1200 and included an archway of bats held aloft by Wilson's Mets teammates for the bride and groom's procession. Bull Durham...ten years ahead of the movie.

14.  Ryan Zimmerman 2010 SGA (Washington Nationals)

I have always liked Zimmerman as a player.  I prefer the 2010 bobble to the 2008 because it has the Nationals' "W" uniform which is cooler than the "DC" version.  The silver bat and gold glove are also a nice touch.

15.  Dennis Eckersley SGA (Oakland Athletics)

I knew several garage mechanics in the 1980s and if you swapped the A's uniform for a Mr. Goodwrench one, this would look just as real.  That said, as a Twins fan I hated seeing Eck come into a ballgame.    The best closer I have ever seen pitch.

I have started looking at the Bobblehead Database located at bobblebums.com.  This is a very useful utility.  There are a solid number of items listed, although room for lots more.  I experienced some performance issues, although I am not sure that my internet connection was not to blame.  Overall, my only wish is that you could search by team.  It is a site well worth watching.  As this hobby goes from everyone who is willing to stand in an MLB stadium line to try and turn a $30 profit to those of us who are really interested, these types of sites and utilities will be the glue of the hobby,

One update to my post just published.  It was written late last night and I just realized that I should have switched one of the 6-10 list with the Jake Peavy car bobble from the first list. Then the 6-10 list could have been entitled "Raines, Baines and Automobiles".  Oh well, opportunity missed...

WISH LIST ITEMS 6-10

 

 

I will continue to list out the Bobbleheads that I am looking to acquire.  As noted, I am hoping to get them by trade, although I am thinking about creating a target price for each one that I would pay.  Not "big profit" type prices or total steals but favorable ones based on what I have seen them go for.  After all, I am not made of money.  That said the list continues:

 

6.  Lefty O'Doul SGA (San Francisco Giants)

 

This one appears to be another one that is expensive and hard to find.  That said, it has multiple cool factors beyond the information that there were only 3000 of them given out. First, I love anything to do with the old (pre 1958) PCL.  Second, the Shamrock base is unique.  Third, O'Doul is known not only as a ballplayer but as a tavern keeper.  Love the San Francisco Seals uniform.

 

Photo is from the Online Pacific Coast League Museum website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.  Harold Baines SGA 2013 (Chicago White Sox)

I love this one.  It is new but the prices are already starting to flatten out.  Key attributes:  Player who was cool, hasn't been done before, and is wearing the awful 1980s Sox uniform.  Best of all you have absolute certainty who the player is.  I would recognize this statue with no name and probably before it was painted. Very cool.

 

 

8.  Tim Raines SGA (Montreal Expos)

 

A guy who deserves to be in the Hall of Fame sporting the sweet powder blue Expos road uniform.  As a dead franchise, I have become somewhat fascinated with the Expos (OK, somewhat and fascinated are probably not consistent).  A

 

 

9.  A's Mascot Stomper (Athletics Kids' Club 2003)

 

There are a few different Stomper bobbles out there, but I like this one the best.  It does have a bobbling belly rather than head, but not a big deal.  I like the mascots as long as they are actually connected to the team, and the elephant has been a symbol of the Athletics for at least 80 years.

 

 

 

10.  Bill Freehan & Norm Cash (Great Lakes Loons 2010 SGA)

 

I am generally not a big collector of minor league issues. However, there are some (i.e. Pawtucket Red Sox Carlton Fisk) that both use the MLB uniform and look a lot like the subjects.  In this case, the Loons' Freehan is cooler IMHO than the issue from Detroit. I am not aware of a MLB Tigers Norm Cash bobblehead. Side note...I went to college with Freehan's daughter.  I never met her, although we had mutual friends who thought very highly of her.

 

Next edition of this list sometime soon...

 

 

 

 

 







Two questions that I am seeking answers/info on:

1.  I have done a fair amount of research and have been unable to find any team that has done a Luis Aparicio bobblehead.  Considering that he is a Hall-of-Famer that played for three teams, you'd think that someone would have used his likeness.  If anyone knows otherwise, please let me know.

2.  I have read about the White Sox Fantasy Camp bobbleheads, particularly those of Bill Melton and Carlos May, two of my favorite players from the early 70s (for no real reason, although May's military injury contributes greatly to my respect for him).  I am aware that they had very limited distribution and I never see them for sale.  I am wondering if anyone knows how many of them were made.

BOBBLEHEADS ON MY "WISH LIST"

I am going to keep a list here of 20-25 pieces that I am looking to acquire by trade. Let's face it, anything is available on Ebay if you want to overpay.  I am not shooting as Ebay merchants as not all everything there is overpriced.  However, if people perceive value or that an item you will have many options to buy them at an inflated price plus shipping.  I firmly believe in free markets, and an item is worth what someone will pay for it. That said, I am going to try and see if I can make some progress in my hobby by doing something more creative that simply paying more than anyone else will offer.

The first five items that I am trying to acquire are:

1. Boog Powell Red Cross Bobblehead (Orioles)

One that I firmly expect not to fall into my lap, but my favorite item that I don't have.
 (Photo from BH Database at www.bobblebums.com)


2.  Ernie Whitt SGA (Toronto Blue Jays)

Can find it at a reasonable price, but usually shipping from Canada doubles the price.

 (Photo from www.bobblesgalore.com)

3.  Andre Dawson SGA (Expos)

I have one that I got a long time ago, but while I was moving things around in my basement, I dropped it. Only the cap bill is broken, but I need to get another one or another head to replace it.




4.  Jake Peavy 2005 Car Bobblehead (Padres)

I have the Cleveland car bobble of Grady Sizemore and he needs a drag racing partner.




5.  Ernie Banks 2009 SGA (Cubs)

Simply one of the coolest ballplayers ever.



More to come soon

PIRATES BOBBLEHEAD INFORMATION  

I have found a link to a list of Pirate bobbleheads (Collection Locker).  At first glance it looks very complete (I see some things that may not actually have been SGA, although I may be mistaken).  There appears to be lists for other franchises as well.  Nice starting point....

Brewers Bobblehead Information Source

Brewers Bobbleheads a is nice site covering the Brewers from 2001-2007.  Also includes a significant number of minor league issues.  Like the Twins site, it contains links with photos and value estimates.  There have been a reasonable number of Brewer issues since 2007, so some updating will be needed.  However, as a starting point for the info on the Crew, this is a fine starting point.

Twins Bobblehead Information Source

Today I am posting my first resource links.  It is my goal to pull together a sort of virtual price guide over time, so I will begin my linking to sources that will likely lead me to the experts. 

My overall interest is in MLB for starters, specifically in SGA and other limited distribution items.  It seems that the universe for such a body of information would be much more manageable.  Despite all of my searches, I don't see one unified source...other than pricing info on Ebay.  That said, there are many good resources on specific teams which is where I will begin.

Nearest and dearest to my heart....is the Twins Bobbles website.  It appears to be run by some non-collectors, but the information is complete, well thought out, and well presented.  It goes through 2010 from what I see, but that is almost all of the activity on the Twins front.

I highly recommend this site for Twins collectors.

A Nod to Blogging

I am using my first foray into blogging to educate myself and further my collection of baseball bobbleheads and statues.  I will be maintaining and messing with the features primarily as a means of self-education, however, as someone who believes that "what gets measured gets done", I will attempt to achieve three ends:

1.  Gather a collection of links to high-value resources on the hobby such as specific collector sites that assist in creating a general body of knowledge on the hobby beyond just multiple links to Ebay and other sites seeking to sell product.

2.  Create a network of contacts that can supply information and serve as trading partners.  Over the years I have obtained a number of duplicates that I would like to spin into new additions.

3.  Add to my collection in a cost-effective manner.

I know that there are at least a couple of other communities out there.  It is not my intention to steal their membership base or bother them.  It is my intention to create something new and enjoy doing it.