Bobbles No More

Some may not have noticed, but I am pretty much over and past my whole bobblehead phase. I only went to one Braves bobblehead giveaway this season, and that was as a favor for a friend. I recently came into four very valuable Braves Riley/Olson bobbles - so I promptly sold them. Rare is the bobble that holds its value of the day it was released. Earlier this year I was able to sell off eleven other Braves bobbles. Still I have dozens of bobbles stashed all over the house. 

The Braves in recent years have done a good job of glutting the local bobblehead market, so prices have pretty much bottomed out. Would be good to continue to thin my herd, but these days I have to hit my spots. I still look to see if someone is looking for a particular bobble, usually usually some youngster beats me to the punch. Perhaps when I retire I will be able to move out more. Got plenty that I still cherish, including several rare bobbles.

I still look with interest when teams release their promotional schedules. I've seen the bobbles the Braves are giving away next season, but besides the Hank Aaron, none interest me. 

Bobbleheads addicts have a saying: "no bobble left behind". But more often than not, for the past few years when I happen upon a bobblehead at a thrift store, I admire it - then let it be.

DAVE CONCEPCION [SABR Bio] was the first native of Venezuela to win the All-Star MVP award. He was the MVP of 1982 ASG, his ninth and last. He homered off Dennis Eckersley in the second inning and reached on an error in the seventh. Until last season, Concepcion was the only Venezuelan to win the now-named Ted Williams All-Star Game MVP award. He was finally joined in 2023 by countryman Elias Diaz, who also bashed a 2-run HR to lead his NL team to victory in his very first All-Star appearance. Rick Wise no-hit the Reds on 23-Jun-1971, but only a walk to Concepcion kept it from being a perfect game. His uniform number 13 jersey was retired by the Venezuelan League's Tigres de Aragua of Maracay, in 2014 - the team for which he played 20 years of winter ball. Why did he choose number 13 — which is often considered unlucky? He explained that the #58 jersey (which was to be issued to him during spring training) was way too big and that his favorite numbers (8, 11, 17 and 19) were all gone. He then thought about his mom and how she was born in 1913. He claims that her number 13 has brought him lots of good luck and fortune.