Latest news with #bobblehead
New York Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
2025 MLB bobblehead giveaway superlatives: Scooters, married couples, Star Wars, and more
Last week, the New York Yankees' announced the very best bobblehead giveaway of the 2025 MLB season — one of Seinfeld's George Costanza taking a nap under his desk at Yankee Stadium. But there are other bobblehead giveaways across the league that warrant recognition, too. Some are good, some are bad, and some are just plain strange. So let's get to The Athletic's 2025 MLB bobblehead giveaway superlatives. Most adorable bobblehead: Michael Harris riding a scooter, Atlanta Braves A post shared by Atlanta Braves (@braves) On Sept. 8 the Braves are giving away a bobblehead of outfielder Michael Harris riding scooter (because he likes to ride his scooter around). Both the bobblehead itself and Harris' reaction to it are adorable. Best married couple bobblehead: Dansby and Mallory Swanson, Chicago Cubs Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson is married to Chicago Stars forward Mal Swanson (who threw a first pitch to her husband at a Cubs game a couple years ago), so it's about time Chicago's top athlete power couple was immortalized with a tandem bobblehead. This one will be available on Aug. 17. Best Star Wars Night bobblehead: X-Wing Pilot Xander Bogaerts, San Diego Padres Star Wars Night has become a ballpark staple across the country, so there is a lot of competition for this category, but no other offering can match the Padres' Xander Bogaerts X-Wing fighter pilot bobblehead. Look how happy he is to be flying that little X-Wing! Most unfortunately timed bobblehead: Rafael Devers light-up City Connect, Boston Red Sox CARITA 🟢 Get your Raffy Fenway Greens bobblehead at tonight's game! — Red Sox (@RedSox) May 23, 2025 Yeah, this one was given away less than a month before Devers was traded to the San Francisco Giants. It's a good thing they didn't plan this one for the second half of the season, at least. (Side note: Light up bobbleheads are a cool concept and we need to see more of them.) Best player who looks like a celebrity crossover bobblehead: Joe Ryan as Billy from Stranger Things, Minnesota Twins A post shared by Minnesota Twins (@twins) At this point it's well established that Twins pitcher Joe Ryan looks incredibly similar to Billy from Stranger Things. He's said people have mistaken him in public for the character. So with the Netflix show's final season set to release later this year, the Twins will be having Joe Ryan Stranger Things bobblehead night on July 9. Best reminder that Ken Griffey Jr. briefly played for the Chicago White Sox 17 years ago bobblehead: Ken Griffey Jr., Chicago White Sox Griffey played 41 games and had 150 plate appearances for the White Sox in 2008, and since the club doesn't have much going for it these days, it decided to produce a bobblehead to commemorate this footnote in his hall-of-fame career. So as of Aug. 24, White Sox fans will be able to say, 'Ken Griffey Jr. really did play for them and I have the bobblehead to prove it!' Most self-aggrandizing bobblehead: David Rubenstein, Baltimore Orioles And if you want a bobblehead of yours truly, see you on April 19th. Go @Orioles! — David M. Rubenstein (@DM_Rubenstein) April 1, 2025 When you have enough money to own an MLB franchise, you've reached a point where you can pretty much do whatever you want, including having said franchise give away bobbleheads of you. It's an unusual move for a team to give away bobbleheads of its current owner for a variety of reasons. And speaking of unusual, why is Bobblehead Rubenstein wearing a hat and holding another hat? It's too many hats. Anyway, next season the Orioles should give away a bobblehead of Rubenstein holding an even smaller bobblehead of Rubenstein. It's the only thing that can redeem this situation. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence in all our coverage. When you click or make purchases through our links, we may earn a commission. (Top photo of the Dodgers' Ice Cube bobblehead: Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
New York Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Yankees' George Costanza desk nap bobblehead pre-selling for five times more than tickets to game
This week the New York Yankees announced that the bobblehead giveaway for its Seinfeld Night promotion on Aug. 21 for its game against the Boston Red Sox will be one of George Costanza sleeping under his desk. The unique giveaway, which Seinfeld fans will surely agree is perhaps the greatest bobblehead ever created, is a reference to an episode from season eight of the show titled 'The Nap.' In the episode, George, then working for the Yankees as assistant to the traveling secretary, commissioned a carpenter working for Jerry to build a custom sleep nook under his desk at Yankee Stadium. He was then caught under there by then Yankees owner George Steinbrenner's grandson. The bobblehead will only be given to the first 18,000 fans who enter the stadium that night, but pre-sales of the item have already been purchased on eBay for up to $250 while tickets to the game are still available for as little as $53. 'I love a good nap. Sometimes it's the only thing getting me out of bed in the morning.' – George Costanza Join us at @yankeestadium on Thursday, August 21 for Seinfeld Night! 1st 18,000 guests will receive a George Costanza Bobblehead 🎟️👉 — New York Yankees (@Yankees) June 26, 2025 For last season's Seinfeld Night, the Yankees gave away a bobblehead of George in a batting pose from an episode where he taught real-life Yankees Bernie Williams and Derek Jeter how to hit. While this is only the second year the Yankees will hold a Seinfeld Night, the New York Mets and its minor league affiliates have had several bobblehead giveaways tied to the show. The Brooklyn Cyclones, a High-A affiliate of the Mets, have done bobbleheads of George in his Gore-Tex coat, and pulling a golf ball out of a whale's blowhole while pretending to be a marine biologist. The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, a Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins, also gave away one of George eating so many shrimp that it prompted a call from the ocean. The character has proven popular in trading card form, too. 2021 Panini National Treasures cards featuring pieces of a Yankees jersey worn by actor Jason Alexander have sold for $1,000 or more on at least five occasions and numerous unofficial Costanza cards have been produced. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence in all our coverage. When you click or make purchases through our links, we may earn a commission.
CBS News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Yankees announce "Seinfeld Night" with George Constanza bobblehead giveaway for August game against Red Sox
The New York Yankees are once again hosting a "Seinfeld"-themed night this summer, with a new George Constanza bobblehead giveaway planned for fans at the game. "Seinfeld Night" is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 21 at 7:15 p.m., when the Yankees take on the Boston Red Sox. The team says the first 18,000 fans at the game will get a bobblehead that shows Jason Alexander's character sleeping under his desk. Costanza's quote about his beloved naps is etched on the desk. "I love a good nap," it reads. "Sometimes it's the only thing getting me out of bed in the morning." 'I love a good nap. Sometimes it's the only thing getting me out of bed in the morning.' - George Costanza Join us at @yankeestadium on Thursday, August 21 for Seinfeld Night! 1st 18,000 guests will receive a George Costanza Bobblehead 🎟️👉 — New York Yankees (@Yankees) June 26, 2025 Constanza works for the Yankees for several seasons on the long-running sitcom as assistant to the traveling secretary. In a season eight episode called "The Nap," Costanza has a carpenter remodel his desk so he can sleep underneath it without being seen. But when a fictional version of former Yankees owner George Steinbrenner stakes out his office, Costanza has his friend Jerry Seinfeld call in a bomb threat in hopes of getting his boss to leave. His scheme backfires, however, when the "bomber" demands that the Yankees host a "fitted hat day" giveaway and Constanza is put in charge of figuring out the hat sizes for thousands of fans. The Yankees also had a "Seinfeld Night" last July, with bobbleheads depicting the time Constanza gave batting tips to Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams. Click here to buy tickets to this year's "Seinfeld Night" game.
CBS News
27-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Michigan Panthers to give away bobbleheads of Lions kicker Jake Bates
The Michigan Panthers will compete in their final home game this season with a bobblehead giveaway featuring Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates. On May 31, the Panthers will play the Houston Roughnecks at Ford Field. Kickoff is at 3 p.m. The team said the first 2,000 fans at Ford Field will get a bobblehead. The Panthers clinched a spot in the USFL Conference Championship for the second year. They will take on the Birmingham Stallions on June 8 at Protective Stadium in Alabama in the conference finals. The game winner will play the D.C. Defenders or St. Louis Battlehawks in the championship on June 14. The Panthers lost to the Stallions in the 2024 conference finals. The Stallions would go on to win the championship against the San Antonio Brahmas. Bates played one season with the Panthers before he signed a two-year contract with the Lions. He made 26 of his 29 field goal attempts and 64 of the 67 extra point attempts in the Lions' 2024 season. He was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month and NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for weeks 7 and 10.
New York Times
17-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Shohei Ohtani adds to special subset of collectibles by striking out against another position player
The Shohei Ohtani 50/50 bobblehead given away at Dodger Stadium on Thursday was highly coveted by fans in attendance, but it wasn't the night's most valuable piece of Ohtani memorabilia. With the Dodgers up 16-2 after seven and a half innings, the battered Athletics sent backup catcher Jhonny Pereda to the mound to pitch the bottom of the 8th. After giving up three straight hits to begin his outing, Ohtani stepped up to the plate. Ohtani had already homered twice in the game, giving him 15 for the season and a share of the Major League lead with Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber. Given his opposition, a third seemed likely. Advertisement Pereda got Ohtani to a 1-2 count with four pitches that each floated in at less than 70 MPH, then he dug deep and delivered an 89 MPH fastball above the strike zone that Ohtani tipped into the catcher's glove. Pereda's first out of the night: A strikeout against the mighty Ohtani. Pereda initially played it cool after notching the strikeout, but before long he couldn't fight the grin from spreading across his face and tossed the ball to the dugout so it could be authenticated by an MLB official and tucked away for safekeeping. Position player Jhonny Pereda broke out the heat to strikeout Ohtani … and kept the ball 😂 — MLB (@MLB) May 16, 2025 In his one inning of work, Pereda gave up four hits, a walk, and three earned runs, but he managed to strike out who he later said was 'the only batter I wanted to face.' Following the game, he showed off his prized possession now in a plastic case labeled 'OHTANI STRIKEOUT MAY 15, 2025,' where it will likely remain for years to come. 'I was scared if he hit the ball to the middle, it was going to kill me,' Pereda said, according to Jhonny Pereda said Shohei Ohtani was 'the only batter I want to face.' And he was just glad Ohtani didn't hit the ball back up the middle because if he did, 'it's going to kill me.' What a night for the backup catcher. — Jacob Gurvis (@jacobgurvis) May 16, 2025 Pereda isn't the only position player to take home an Ohtani strikeout ball, though. In 2022, then Detroit Tigers infielder Kody Clemens notched his first career strikeout against Ohtani, who was then with the Los Angeles Angels. Clemens couldn't help but show his excitement when he froze Ohtani with his devastating 68 MPH pitch, immediately pumping his fist and smiling ear to ear as he too tossed the ball to the dugout for authentication and safekeeping. Clemens was also brave enough to ask Ohtani to sign the ball, which he did, even adding an inscription: 'What a nasty pitch!' Kody Clemens just received his Shohei Ohtani strikeout ball from last night – autographed by the Angels superstar with the inscription: 'What a nasty pitch!' 📸 KodyClemens on Instagram — Adrian Garro (@adriangarro) September 6, 2022 Ohtani's 50th home run ball in 2024 became the most valuable baseball of all time when it sold for $4.392 million. Both of these strikeout balls would likely command significant value — especially given the autograph and inscription on Clemens' (plus the fact that it made him and dad Roger the all-time father-son strikeout leaders) — but would probably fall short of that record. To Pereda and Clemens they're priceless, though. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence in all our coverage. When you click or make purchases through our links, we may earn a commission.
