The Folder of Fun, as I like to call it, has been in the works for about three years. That's about the time I stopped buying retail and hobby packs and began tracking down cards which fit a certain general description: FUN. Here's a link to the first post in this series if you'd like to go back and catch up.
The next section of the Folder of Fun dips into a part of baseball which I really love. If I were on a high school debate team and asked to argue for or against mascots, then I would definitely want to be on the side listing all the positives to a sports team employing a full-time mascot.
Without further delay, here is Page 17:
1983 Donruss, #645 - The Chicken
I don't believe he was the first mascot, but I think The Chicken is the one who started the mascot craze in America. As a result, I own a bobblehead of his and there's four cards featuring him in the binder.
1992 Donruss Triple Play, #138 - The Famous Chicken
The Chicken is turning double play? So athletic!
1982 Donruss, #531 - The Chicken
That's one classy looking bird!
I love the blurb at the bottom of the card about sending a SASE to get an auto.
2016 Donruss, #151 - The Famous San Diego Chicken
Good on Donruss for revisiting its early roots and including The Chicken in a more recent product!
1992 Upper Deck, #255 - Cecil Fielder
This is such a classic card!
2018 Topps Big League, #281 - Ketel Marte (Gold Parallel)
I think sports cards should include more photos with players and mascots. It works very well in a kid friendly product like Big League.
2019 Topps Big League, #208 - Ozzie Albies
Watching players interact with mascots is probably my favorite thing they bring to the game. The Phanatic is probably one of the best in the business in this regard.
1995 Action Packed, #81 - Max Patkin
Max isn't necessarily a mascot, but he provides pre-game and in-between inning entertainment just the same.
1995 Action Packed, #82 - Clown Prince of Baseball
I remember Max Patkin making an appearance in Peoria back in the late 1980's. He had a silly routine, but it seemed perfect for minor league baseball at the time.
Seeing him in "Bull Durham" later on made me smile!
More mascots are on the horizon. Stay tuned!
& Donruss still had to air-brush out the logo on the Chicken's shirt in that 2016 card! I'd be like, Come on Topps... It's a Chicken...
ReplyDeleteI don't know Max. I have all other cards but the Albies which must be found! I have always loved the Chicken. Have had the opportunity to see him at a couple of games in OKC late 90s. While I've coveted many a relic card, bobblehead envy is the worst. I WANT ONE!!!
ReplyDeleteI saw Max performing while watching an old White Sox game on youtube a couple of months ago. Some of the stuff he did would not fly today.
ReplyDeleteI think Patkin has a couple cards from his playing days (or they might be shortly after he started his post playing career as the ballpark entertainment). He's pretty hammy in Bull Durham, but it suits him, he's playing himself!
ReplyDeleteThe Saint Paul Saints have a full roster of performers that carry the torch of Max, obviously I haven't seen them this year, but I've been to a few games and they are doing routines throughout the ballpark all game long engaging the kids.
They are dubbed "Usher-tainers"
https://www.saintsbaseball.com/fun/entertainment-team
Very cool. Thanks for sharing the link! I need to get to a Saint Paul Saints game sometime for sure.
Delete11 year old me sent my 1982 donruss chicken card away per the instructions on the back and received a signed card a few weeks later. My first TTM.
ReplyDeleteLove the SD Chicken. Been a fan since watching The Baseball Bunch as a kid. I definitely need to track down those Patkin cards. They're awesome!
ReplyDeleteYep, got to love that Chicken.
ReplyDeleteHave met and talked with both the Chicken and Max Patkin. Chicken was at an game and talked with him afterwards, met Patkin at a banquet. Somewhere have a picture of him signing something for a friend with me in the background.
ReplyDeleteShould I be embarrassed that I know nothing about Max Patkin? :/ Mascots are fun though, I agree with that!
ReplyDeleteThat Big League Albies makes me smile every time I see it.
ReplyDelete