These Past Few Months...

...I have been fortunate to add a few more items to my collection. There are some things that you just wait for, things that you think that you don't really want or need, and this was one of those items...yes, one of those items that brings out the little kid in me. It's a stuffed animal. However, it is a high quality piece of work from a highly respected manufacturer of collectible bears known as Cooperstown Bears. My particular gem is a 16 inch mohair bear with articulating limbs and head. It has the Chicago Bears uniform (with Walter Payton's #34) and a helmet. These normally retail at $179.00 with a limited production of 3,000. Here's the kicker. Mine is serial #'d 0034/3000...that's right, it has Walter Payton's jersey number as the serial number! The value should be greatly increased. I don't think the seller had a clue and I was able to buy it for $40.00

I have also located a June 16, 1970 Chicago Daily New newspaper (front and back page) which was the day that Brian Piccolo's death was reported. Brian Piccolo is a Bears legend who died early from cancer.


I've increased to my rare bobblehead collection to include a 1961-1966 Type Two "Toes Up" nodder. These have a value of $200-$300 and mine is in fairly good condition. The decal on the front is a little worn.


I grabbed up a few more Brian Urlacher rarities...a limited to 2,000 special edition Bobblehead that was given away at a August 21, 2007 Schaumburg Flyers game. I guess that is some baseball team, but I don't care...I just collect Urlacher Bobbleheads. In addition, I have also purchased a 3 piece Russian Nesting Doll set with Urlacher, Olin Kreutz and Mike Brown. Nesting dolls are usually hand made and hand painted, so each one is somewhat different. They are really not that valuable, at this point.



In September of this year McFarlane Sportspicks issued a special boxed set of Brian Urlacher. This is the beginning of several new Bear issue pieces that will be offered this late fall and early winter. The Urlacher figure is the same pose as his Series 9 issue, only with a new paint job. Box sets allow collector's to actually remove the figure from it's packaging for display, but of course, I would never do that. LOL. Mine will display nicely in it's original box.




In addition, I have added a few more die cast vehicles.... The 2007 Upper Deck Transporter/Hauler, which has a Peterbuilt tractor and is the 17th in a series dating back to 1990. I have them all. More little die casts were added to my collection, as well...the 1:64 Ford Adrenalin and the F-150 Concept truck...


Oh, and finally, how could I forget....the 1986 Dairy Pak card of Walter Payton. Those came from the side of Milk Cartons back in the day...

Recent Additions...

I've picked up 3 new unique Bobblehead dolls...One is of legendary Chicago Bear Bronko Nagurski. The bobblehead is 1st in the Gridiron Greats Series and was designed by Nodders Inc. in 1991 or '92, I believe. The bobblehead is serial #d 374/2000. Bronko comes with original tag with the bobblehead number and facsimile autograph on it. Another interesting doll I bought is a Patrick Mannelly Chicago Bears bobblehead. Approx. 8" tall. This was a giveaway at the Schaumburg Flyers (Independent, Northern League baseball team) on July 7, 2007. He is wearing a Bears uniform, but a Schaumburg Flyers baseball hat. Only 2,000 were made. Patrick Mannely has been the long snapper and special teams member of the Bears for many, many years. I also found a James "Big Cat" Williams, that was a part of a 90's giveaway from TCF Bank in Chicago.

In 1983 an 8 inch Huddles teddy bear doll was created for all NFL teams. Huddles was a popular mascot back in the early 80's. The doll is relatively rare and can command prices anywhere from $10.00 to $80.00. Mine is still attached to it's original box (which has a rare "white" background)which should increase its value.

In my never ending mission to possess EVERY Bobblehead of Brian Urlacher, I have added a few more: The 2005 "Platinum" figure, the 2006 "Blatinum" version and the brand new 2007 "On The Field" series, all by Forever Collectibles, plus the innovative 2007 "Big Head" doll.

A few oddball items I picked up are a 1993-94 Deck of Ditka's Playing Cards, where Ditka selected star players of the year to make up the 52 card set. I don't know why I bought this, but it is a Sega Genisis 'Mike Ditka Power Football'. I don't know what kind of game it was, and I probably never will.

Walter Payton made a thin vinyl record for Kentucky Fried Chicken in 1976 called "Doin' It Right" and of course, I just HAD to have that! LOL
I've added a few more die cast toy cars and trucks. The Upper Deck 2006 series 1:64 scale mustang with an Urlacher trading card and a 1:64 corvette, as well as a 1:48 Pickup truck. I'm still a little behind on my 1:24 yearly collection but have located the 2005 Fleer 1937 Ford Truck (the last series made by Fleer before Upper Deck took over).

Collection Update

As expected, my Bears' Shrine continues to take on items. One of the great features of this forum permits me to maintain some sort of inventory (even though I have hundreds of things that I have not even put on here yet). The highlights of my recent purchases include the following:

The picture shows an early sixties Fred Kail 10 inch bank, a 1961 Roko rubber Bears doll, a 1962-64 Kissing Player Nodder and a rare 1977 Team Mate Action Figure. The nodder originally came with a matching Majorette doll that I have yet to acquire. The pair can reach a value of $475.00. I bought the 1977 Action Team Mate (the African American player version)to compliment my other figure that I already possess. The foot was broken, but I glued it on anyway (I know, as a collector you are probably not supposed to do that)...the figure is pictured on the far right
Fred Kail is a renowned Sports Artist who in 1958 was commissioned to create a 10 foot tall statue of Johnny Unitas, which still stands now outside of the Stadium in Baltimore. His popularity grew in the early sixties and many of his unique figurines and banks were made available to the public. These have become popular collectibles in recent years. Mine shows some wear, but I've been wanting one for quite some time, so I was willing to accept that fact. Apparently it was part of a promotion from the 2nd National Bank of Danville.


I have topped off my Starting Lineup collection with the elusive Jimbo Covert figure. Tuff Stuff lists a value of $400, but we all know better than that. I have also added a dozen or so loose figures, and Covert happens to be one of those, as well. When it rains, it pours.


Of course I have added more bobbleheads to my existing collection of those. I have the 2006 Blatinum versions of Tommie Harris, Bernard Berrian and Muhsin Muhammad. In addition I have the new 2006 "Knucklhead" bobbles of Muhammad and Urlacher.
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SAMS, Inc is well respected in the Bobblehead doll industry as making a product of more unique and better quality. While most dolls today are of resin material, their's are made from a porcelain/ceramic type material. I have purchased #2437/3000 of both Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers, which were manufactured in 1998. The value on these is about $75.00 each (presently).

One of my favorite things that I have added to my collection is a large (5 inch tall) Christmas ornament that was designed by Connie Payton for the Payton foundation. It was available shortly after Walter's death and represents Soldier Field and Walter's legend.


The following are a few more do dads of Brian Urlacher...his Knucklehead bobble, a 2006 Forever Collectibles Christmas ornament, a 10" acrylic standee and a cute little votive urlacher candle.

My transporter die cast collection is now up to date (1990 -2006) with the addition of these 2 new trucks:


And a couple of miscellaneous items: a rotating musical bear that plays Twinkle, twinkle Little Star and a Rare 50 year Anniversary of Snap on Tools Wrench. The wrench has "Chicago Bears" machined and tooled into the handle.

Oh yeah, and a neat lava lamp...

I haven't posted for a few months but that does not mean I have been idle. I have many new items that I will edit and file away in the appropriate categories of this blog, but for now I will just run a quick slide show.

Some of the highlites of the recent additions include a Hawthorne Village Train set (2 locomotives and 5 cars) as well as village pieces of a Stadium and restaurant...a remote control pick up truck, the new Legends2 McFarlanes of Walter Payton (blue and white jersey versions), a rare celluloid doll, a few more bobbleheads, a Steve "Mongo" McMichael wrestling action figure, a "greatest fan" decanter, another zippo lighter, an imitation old time faux leather helmet, a Ditka comic strip ad from the 60's, a 2004 Sun Times Legends Medallion set, a Scottish Christmas desk lamp, a 1965 Technograph player face and helmet plaque...

This post will probably be used to showcase new collectibles, as I get them.
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I Love The Chicago Bears

I love the Chicago Bears, it’s as simple as that. Ever since I can remember, back to the days of Butkus and Sayers, I have had a fascination with professional football, particularly, The Bears. I have read numerous books that detail the storied history of the team, in addition to several player and coach autobiographies. This whole NFL frenzy today had its roots with Papa Bear and many early Bear players. It should be rewarding to Chicago fans to know that current year end trophies that award excellence for teams and individuals carry the names of George S. Halas and Walter Payton...
I love the Chicago Bears. I have been fortunate to attend many home games at Soldier Field...some I recall better than others. I’ve been drunk by 10:00 A.M. sharing food and drink with countless others, in tailgating experiences that were seemingly out of this world. Everybody dressed in Bear colors stampeding en masse into the stadium to cheer relentlessly for da Bears. It is those times that I cherish dearly. I’ve been to Platteville and recently Bourbonnaisse. I have attended every Bear Fan Convention, through which I have met and received autographs from Bear players, old and new. Yeah, the conversations were limited to brief small talk, but I shook every person’s hand, and remember each and every one. I have attended luncheons where the guest speakers were some of my all time Bear idols. Through these meetings I have individually met Mike Ditka, Walter Payton and Mike Singletary...I will treasure the firmness of grip from Walter’s angelic hand, and the joy of his tender, yet domineering smile...
I love the Chicago Bears. For years now, I have been a huge collector of Bears' trinkets and memorabilia. It started out as a keychain collection and now encompasses cards, glassware, magazines, books, photographs, posters, stuffed animals, Christmas ornaments, Zippo lighters, matchbox trucks, die cast cars, trucks, airplanes...etc. dozens of starting lineup figurines, Danburry mint figurines, McFarlanes, a bunch of Bobbleheads......basically anything that has "BEARS" stamped on it. My Bear Den is a shrine....a museum to me...
I love the Chicago Bear players......if they wear the uniform, I cheer them on. I envy their life of football and the opportunity of wearing the Bears blue and orange. I respect their athletic toughness and dedication toward training. Rags to Riches. This is America, where a poor boy from Mississippi can become a multi-millionaire and become the idol and role model of thousands. The lowest paid NFL player makes as much money as many CEO’s running successful businesses. I love the Coaches and Staff. What a dream job. What a difficult job. Hours and hours of preparation in hopes of putting the best product on the field that you can. These guys are heroes and goats, but should always be respected and commended...
I love the Bears, so let’s get to the conclusion and point of this essay. There are many different types of fans in this world, at family gatherings, at the office, on internet message board, and even many, many bloggers. Some, as of late, are continual naysayers. This frustrates me. Whether the season is just beginning or has just ended certain fans are always writing them off. That’s BS. Where is your expertise? I know, we get the occasional genius of some high school X’s and O’s guy, or some guy that played in college. Neither of these has any idea what it takes. I am sick of "this guy sucks", "this coach needs to be fired".....blah, blah, blah. It’s a TEAM and an ORGANIZATION that builds champions. Please, let them try and do so. Support them. You don’t have to support them monetarily if you chose not to. That is your right. But, you could at least look for the positives and approach your fandom that way...
I love the Bears. Every year I predict 16-0. If we lose a game, I’ll change my prediction to 15-1, then 14-2.....you get the point. With the parity in the NFL, the Bears can win any game they play. If they win, I am ecstatic. If they lose, I am disappointed, but not explicitly angry or upset. I just prepare myself to get ready to watch the next game. I am a Bear Fan whether they win or lose. Winning is extremely fun, yet losing can at least offers an upside. I am confident that the Bears will return to glory days, and I will be on top of the world. And, I will be extremely proud knowing that I never griped and moaned and said the Bears sucked. Those of you that did, will have bandwagon issues.
Good or Bad......I LOVE THE BEARS !!!!!