I hated bobbleheads when they first came out. They were all the rage at baseball stadiums and everyone loved them. I was not on board, I thought they looked stupid and had no interest in them. Something has happened since then. I am now in a pursuit to get all of the Kansas City Royals stadium give away(SGA) bobbleheads.
It started with the Alex Gordon bobblehead give away, then Larry Gura, then Zach Greinke. I had a few then I started feeling like I needed the rest. I collect many things dealing with the Royals. I really like old pennants, magazines and cards. So now I am up to a collection of 9 bobbleheads. This led me to make a list of all of the stadium give away bobbleheads I knew of because I really couldn’t find a list on the internet. I listed what I knew of and even included the two that will be given away this year; Willie Wilson and Joakim Soria, two I am really excited about.
Then I attended the Royals game last Thursday against the Rangers, a 2-1 win in 10 innings, and made my first trip through the Royals Hall of Fame. They had a display case possessing every bobblehead they had given away. It is what I hope for my collection to be one day.
This is what the display case looked like, pretty impressive huh? I have no idea who that first guy is with the bald head and gray hair but I will run through the rest of them:
Top Row left: unknown bobblehead, Sluggerrr, Denny Matthews, Tony Pena Jr., Cookie Rojas, Carlos Beltran, Alex Gordon, Mike Sweeney and Zack Greinke.
Bottom Row left: Bret Saberhagen, John Mayberry, Larry Gura, Paul Splittorff, Frank White, Dick Howser, George Brett, Steve Busby, Fred Patek, Dan Quisenberry and Dennis Leonard.
The former Royals all have the same base’ the number in the Royals “crown” with career highlights written around the sides. The current players have different kinds of bases. A couple quick notes: Denny Matthews bobblehead has a button that plays Royals highlights from Matthews. The Sluggerrr bobblehead is incredibly hard to find, apparently it was given away to kids under a certain age only and it was raining that day so there aren’t many Sluggerrr bobbleheads available.
A Hair Off Square 
Awesome post! I have never stopped by the HOF display. I really should.
Of these…I have the Brett, Quis and Greinke. The Frank White is my favorite of the ones I don’t have.
OMG…my wife just noticed there is a Soria bobble this year. FINALLY!
Yeah, pumped about Soria. I just picked up the Frank White last weekend, I think it is my favorite as well.
The big bald guy, si that not Kaufman?
I don’t know if the unknown bobblehead is Ewing Kauffman. It would make a lot of sense and after googling his picture there is a strong resemblance.
I read the name on that bobblehead at the game and I don’t think it was Kauffman. Also no results came up for Kauffman bobblehead.
Only one way to find out, I gotta make it to the next homestand now.
Did you ever figure out who the unknown bobblehead is? Also I am looking for sluggerrr to complete my collection but have not had any luck. Do you know of any places?
I GOT IT! I went to the K a few weeks ago and the unknown bobblehead was labeled “T-Man” that didn’t tell me anything but as I watching a game this weekend, sure enough, there was “T-Man” himself on screen. He is a Royals employee who rubs all of the baseballs down with the special mud. This explains why he is rubbing the ball in his bobblehead pose.. He is also considered a good luck charm for the team of sorts. Ryan Lebfevre claimed that the team plays better when he goes on the road with him.
I have all but the sluggerrr, matthews, and the T-man….wonder where the t-man came from…i don’t think it was a SGA???
That is a great collection; I’m not nearly that far along in collecting them. I saw the Denny Matthews at an auction once but didn’t stay, live and learn I guess, it is a hard find. The Sluggerrr is almost impossible to track down too. T-Man I don’t think was a SGA, I don’t think he is well known enough to warrant that. He must be thrown in the case as a novelty is my guess.
I know there is also a Willi Wilson bobblehead not shown in thia picture.
Wow my typing is horrible.
Yes, The Willie Wilson is missing in action in this picture. There is also a Bret Saberhagen bobblehead that is missing because the picture was taken in the 2010 season I believe, before they were given away. There are Buck O’Neil and Eric Hosmer bobbleheads on the way for 2012 too.
I was at the hall of fame today and was disappointed to learn that there are more bobbelheads that I need to posses I now have 23 after this year. now what I found out is the bald guy with the grey hair is a club house attendent and his name is toby walsh. hence they call him t-man, it was a joke around the club house to make this guy, it was not given as a promo. I am also not for sure about 2 different dan quiesnberry. I have the one with the fireman hat but not the 3 baseballs.
Yeah, T-Man is kind of an odd one to have displayed. I obviously don’t count him. As for Quisenberry the only one I know of is the fireman helmet. The Dennis Leonard bobblehead has 3 baseballs for his 3 20 win seasons, is it possible this is the one you thought was the second Quisenberry?
we are down to needing 8 of these….husband got Denny Matthews, Splittorf, and Beltran today for Christmas…that dang sluugger one is killing me
I agree, Sluggerrr is a tough one, I’m down to just needing Sluggerrr and Denny Matthews now.
The first one is of Tom Walsh or “T-Man”. He Rubs the baseballs with mud.
Thanks Richard, I knew he was an employee, just didn’t know what he did. He is considered a bit of a good luck charm for the team I think I heard. I don’t think his bobble was ever publicly available.
Send me a enail if u want to sell the slugggerrr ill pay 80 to 90 bucks if new thanks
I don’t have it either. I’ve seen it for $75 before, that’s the cheapest. I have also seen up to $200. My picture is from the Royals Hall of Fame.
Not sure if you know but there are only two T-man bobbles that exist. One was given to Tom himself and the other to the HOF.
I didn’t know that , that’s cool . I know they weren’t distributed but I didn’t know the numbers. Thanks for the info.
I have a John Mayberry bobblehead still in the box. Anyone interested in purchasing it?