A couple of quick reminders:

• We will be at the Reading Sports Memorabilia Show this weekend from 3/2-3/4. Please come by and see us at booth 402. We'll have plenty of vintage memorabilia including bobbing heads, Hartlands, mascot banks and loads more. If you are looking to sell- we will be actively looking to buy.
• Check out our Online Auction(ends 3/23) by clicking the button at the top of the page.

The following article was submitted by long-time San Francisco Giants collector Rob Greene. He opens up a a terrific point- that there are literally hundreds of different variations of baseball bobbing heads. His collection of Giant variations would lead us to believe that every other team has numerous dolls within each series. We once bought a collection of mini baseball bobbing heads. With only 20 teams in the series, we counted over 120 dolls without one doll being duplicated. So when you think you've completed your collection- think again- there is always something new out there. That's really the fun and challenge of the hobby.

We thank Rob for his insights. If you would like to contact him, he can be reached by emailing:ddgrh8r@cox.net.

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JUST WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS DONE....

by Rob Greene

In 1994, after 30+ years of rooting for the San Francisco Giants, I began collecting San Francisco Giants.  My collection encompasses all manner of publications, equipment, buttons, pennants and just about anything Giants (excluding cards).  From Day One, I actively sought out bobbers.  I remembered them from my childhood and the vintage ones have a whimsical quality not found in anything produced today.  So, in the pre-eBay world of SCD and card shows, I started to collect.  With help from SCD and Tim Hunter, I quickly learned the basics about the various series (white, green, etc.).  When I first started collecting Giants bobbers, I naively assumed there were maybe 15-20 to be had.  Man, was I ever wrong!

I currently have 34 vintage Giants bobbers; produced in the Golden Age of 1960-74.  I have seen 10 others which are different from dolls I already have.  Hence, my collection remains incomplete.  Besides the 10 variations I have seen, I can suppose there might even be a few more out there.

Thanks to Tim Hunter, John Brey, Lou Criscione and others, most of us collectors know the basic variations within each group (baseball, football, etc.) of bobbers.  It's not until you become a team collector (like me) that you can begin to discern the often minute differences within a series.

Let's start with the minis... It's well known there are a variety of boy faces and moon faces.  Within the Giants, the moon faces have the hair curl or no hair curl and come with either a bat or a ball and glove.  I believe I have the only four moon face minis that exist.  Within the boy faces, you will find hair curls in either direction; bats, balls and gloves and different facial expressions.  Upon closer examination you will find differences in the hair curls; short and long bats and even open or closed mouths.  I have five boy face minis and know of at least three more.  Total of twelve Giants minis that I know of.  A buddy of mine has even noticed that while most minis have painted under sleeves, others do not (see far left).  Even I'm not trying to complete the "no under sleeves" set!

(Mini's)

The color (orange) base series for the Giants has a few surprises.  Besides the one standard color base, there is a wood base version which was only done for three other teams.  Note how the wood base has the same face as the rubber doll on the far left!   I also one saw a green wood base that seemed legit but the glove was turned inward; rather than the outward glove I have seen on every other color base.  As if it wasn't confusing enough, I have also seen what seemed to be a standard orange base except the base was green, the base had a city decal and the embossed "GIANTS" was black rather than orange.  So, in my mind, there are four Giants in the color base series (five, if you count the rubber Buddy-Flex doll).

Moving to the white bases - there are really only two dolls (above).  Both have the sideways cap and a hair curl.  The difference is the embossed chest vs. the decal chest. I also have what appears to be a leftover white base, painted green, and "married" to an early green base head (below).  Did you also know these are the only dolls I've ever seen that also exist in an "eyes right" variation?  That's right; very rarely you see a white base doll looking in the opposite direction of every other doll ever produced (below).  So, in theory, there are at least five variations in the white base series.

There were basically only four bobbers in the green base series - flat cap or curl with bat or ball and glove.  But, there are also (at least) three more where white or color base heads were "married" to green base bodies.  It is my opinion that these "married" amalgamations were assembled this way in Japan and sold in these configurations.  I imagine the Japanese factories would end up with "pieces and parts" due to breakage of heads and bodies.  So, in my mind, there are (at least) seven Giants green bases.

(Green base & Wedge base)

There were no black face dolls for the Giants, but there was Willie Mays.  There are six different Mays dolls. Five have a white base - light face with ball and glove; light face with bat and three different dark faces.  The dark faces all are with a (longer) bat and differ by illegible ("Weilie") signature decal, legible signature decal and legible silver signature sticker.  Finally, there is the dark face, legible signature on a gold base.  I never thought I'd get them all but I do have all six.

(Willie Mays)

There are six Giants in the gold base series - two each in the early (green base mold), middle and late run.  I have all six.

In addition to everything I've mentioned, there is a Giants wedge base (shown earlier w/green bases), a Tacoma Giants color base (also shown earlier) and at least two Giants weirdos.  If there are black face Giants weirdos, I've never seen them...

Do all MLB teams that were around in 1960 have 40+ dolls?  I kind of doubt it.  To me, the Giants seem to have more than most but I could well be wrong.  There are the six Willie Mays dolls but no generic black faces.  One thing I know for sure - there are a TON of dolls out there!  I'm sure at some point I'll find another previously unknown bobber.  Happy hunting!!