Bobblehead Sports Memorabilia – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Whether you’re an obsessive collector or just someone who wants to give your favorite team a little love, there’s something about bobbleheads that are hard to resist. They’re like a little piece of sports-centered Americana, and they’re often one of the most popular game-day giveaways around. But bobbleheads can be a bit of a mixed bag: Sometimes they bear a striking resemblance to the player, and other times, not so much. But there are some definite hits and misses out there, from classic 1960s MLB series bobbleheads to the Willie Mays figure that launched the modern era of fan-friendly memorabilia.

For more than a decade, Sklar has been buying, creating and selling bobbleheads, working with local artists to produce each figure from scratch. He and Novak have created bobbleheads for players in the NBA, NFL, MLS, NHL and other leagues. Some are just a head, body and jersey, and others include extras to create specific scenes. A bobblehead that commemorates a famous catch, for example, might have the player holding the ball as he falls into the stands.

The bobbleheads make financial sense for teams because they are relatively cheap to produce, though they are time-consuming to design. Each figure takes about six iterations as the artist and team go back and forth to adjust proportions, skin color and other details. They also must pick the right player, and this can be a challenge.

But the real fun is in putting together the most interesting ones, Sklar said. He and Novak try to find interesting ways to capture a player’s personality on the figure. They’ll even take a photo of a player from the side to help get the right facial expression.

A recent collaboration between the National Museum of Natural History and the San Francisco Giants is one of their most interesting, a bobblehead of legendary baseball broadcaster Bob Uecker. The duo took a photo of Uecker from behind, then used the image to create the figure, which features him wearing a Giants uniform. “We wanted to do the best we could for his legacy,” Sklar said.

The figure, which is limited to 10,000, was given out on June 15 when the Washington Nationals hosted a Star Wars Day. It’s a sign that some fans will always look for unique memorabilia to show their love of their favorite teams and players.

Sklar said he and Novak are planning to do more bobbleheads for the museum this year, including a figure of Spencer Rattler, a defensive end who has played 13 seasons for the University of South Carolina and is part of the current roster of the New York Giants. A portion of the proceeds from that bobblehead will be donated to first responders.

If you’re looking to add a few more bobbleheads to your collection or to give some away, check out the selection at the museum’s online store. Then, share your best — and worst — bobbleheads in the comments below.