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The Bobblehead Hall Of Fame Takes It To The Rack As Chuck Swirsky Is Honored With A Bobblehead

by | May 19, 2023 | Sniper Rants

This morning, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled a Chuck Swirsky bobblehead. The limited-edition talking bobblehead features the play-by-play voice of the Chicago Bulls who recently completed his 25th season as an NBA broadcaster. The special edition bobblehead is being produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum in conjunction with Chuck Swirsky and AUTOGRAPH1.

Wearing a headset and dressed in a black sport coat with a red and black striped tie, the smiling Swirsky bobblehead is sitting at a courtside table bearing his name at the bottom of the base with CHICAGO across the front. With Swirsky being known for his enthusiastic catchphrases, the bobblehead will play the following clips at the touch of a button:

  • To the rack! Count it! And a foul!
  • Bam!
  • Onions! Baby onions!
  • Oh, baby! What a play!
  • Put him in the Hall! Put him in the Hall of Fame!
  • A corner snow cone three … Yes! Right down the pipe!
  • He rocked the rim with a two-handed power jam!

Each bobblehead will be individually numbered to 2,023 and they are only available through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in August 2023, are $30 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.

Hired in May of 2008, Swirsky recently completed his 15th season handling the radio play-by-play duties on 670 The Score while sitting alongside color commentator and former NBA Champion Bill Wennington on the Bulls Radio Network. He called his 2,000th NBA game during the 2022-23 season. In addition to his in-game duties, Swirsky contributes regularly to Bulls.com. Swirsky spent ten years in Toronto Raptors games. On March 23, 2007, Swirsky was honored by the Raptors when they gave out 18,000 bobbleheads with his likeness.

Born in Norfolk, Virginia, and raised in Bellevue, Washington, Swirsky started his broadcasting career in Chicago in 1979 at WCFL (AM 1000), hosting the city’s first nightly sports talk show. In 1980, Swirsky was named the public address announcer for the Bulls, serving until 1983. He later rose to prominence while serving as the sports director for WGN-AM in Chicago from 1982 to 1994.  In addition to hosting various sports talk shows, Swirsky also did play-by-play for DePaul University men’s basketball games and was the host of the Chicago Bears Radio Network for 10 years and held similar responsibilities for the Chicago Cubs Radio Network for 12 seasons. “Chuck is on the Mount Rushmore of Chicago sports talk radio,” said David Marran, better known at SoxNerd on Twitter. Swirsky’s broadcasting career also included stints with University of Michigan men’s basketball and WJR-AM in Detroit where he anchored the pregame and postgame shows for the Detroit Red Wings and University of Michigan football.

On September 7, 2016, Swirsky was inducted into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame. In May 2018, he was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame and the WGN Radio Walk of Fame. A three-time winner of the Best Sportscast Award for the state of Michigan, Swirsky was also awarded Best Play-by-Play announcer by The Associated Press in 1996. At the start of the 2022-23 NBA season, Swirsky announced the release of his memoir, “Always a Pleasure.”

When asked about being honored with the new bobblehead, Chuck said, “With a heart of gratitude and humility I’m honored to be included in the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum. The passion I have in my heart for what sports has meant to me, first as a young boy in Seattle, then culminating with a career as an NBA play-by-play announcer, is a dream come true. Thank you to members of the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame & AUTOGRAPH1 for making this possible.”

AUTOGRAPH1 Co-Founders Mitch Dubinsky and Steve Gassman approached their newest client Chuck Swirsky as well as the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum with the concept to create a bobblehead for another broadcasting icon. AUTOGRAPH1 commented, “We are extremely proud to work with such a broadcasting legend as Chuck Swirsky.”

“We are honored to release this bobblehead of Chicago radio legend Chuck Swirsky in celebration of his illustrious broadcasting career,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “With his popular catchphrases, positivity and unbridled enthusiasm, Chuck has been a fan favorite for decades and we think fans will enjoy this new bobblehead.”

The Mad Hungarian Gets In The Ring With His Own WWE Bobblehead

by | May 16, 2023 | Sniper Rants

The St Louis Cardinals just announced that on Thursday, August 17th vs the New York Mets, fans will be treated to a Al Hrabosky WWE bobblehead. Hrabosky is positioned with his arms up wearing a black vest that reads Mad Hungarian on the side. His long brown hair flows from underneath his red Cardinals ball cap as he stands on the biggest stage in wrestling.

Nicked named the Mad Hungarian, Hrabosky played on the Cardinals for 7 seasons and gained attention for his colorful character on the mound. Fans who purchase a special theme ticket for the game will receive the Al Hrabosky WWE bobblehead at Busch Stadium.

As of 2022, the Mad Hungarian is the color commentator for the Cardinals regular season broadcast on Bally Sports Midwest.  Tickets can be purchased through the link below.

Special Theme Bobblehead Ticket

King Charles III Gets Throned With A New Bobblehead

by | May 3, 2023 | Sniper Rants

This morning, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled the first bobblehead of King Charles III, who became the oldest person to ascend to the British throne upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on September 8th, 2022. The coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as king and queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms is scheduled to take place tomorrow, Saturday, May 6th, at Westminster Abbey. The bobblehead was produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum.

Standing with his arms behind his back and wearing a resplendent dark blue suit with a striped light blue tie, the King Charles bobblehead is standing in front of a replica of Buckingham Palace. The front of the base says King Charles III. The bobbleheads, which are individually numbered to 2,023, are only available through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The bobbleheads, which just arrived and ship now, cost $25 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.

The King Charles III bobblehead follows recently released bobbleheads of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. The Duke of Edinburgh, who died two months before his 100th birthday on April 9th, 2021, and Queen Elizabeth were married for 73 years after tying the knot on November 20th, 1947, at Westminster Abbey in London. In addition, bobbleheads were released for the engagement and wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

The oldest child of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Charles held the title of Prince of Wales – an ancient title traditionally given to the eldest son of the British monarch – from 1958 until the death of his mother on September 8th, 2022. Charles, who has one sister (Princess Anne) and two brothers (Prince Andrew and Prince Edward), was three years old when his mother became Queen Elizabeth II. From then on, Prince Charles became first in line to the British throne. Charles went to schools in London, Hampshire, and Scotland and then graduated from the University of Cambridge. He later served in the armed forces, spending time in the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.

In 1981, Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer, who became the Princess of Wales. The couple had two children, Prince William, who is the heir apparent to the British throne, and Prince Harry. Charles and Diana were divorced in 1996. Nine years later, Prince Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles, who became the Duchess of Cornwall. King Charles, a longtime outdoorsman who also enjoys painting and architecture, supports many charities, which raise money for a variety of causes. The most famous of these is The Prince’s Trust. The Coronation of King Charles III is taking place less than a month before the 70th anniversary of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. She acceded to the throne on February 6th, 1952, but wasn’t crowned until June 2nd, 1953.

“We are excited to release the first bobblehead of King Charles III as the world gets ready to watch his Coronation,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “We think this bobblehead will be a must-have for fans of the Royal Family who continue to add to their bobblehead collection!”

After 40 Years, The Cocaine Bear Receives An Exclusive Bobblehead

by | Apr 21, 2023 | Sniper Rants

This morning, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum in conjunction with KY for KY unveiled the first Cocaine Bear Bobblehead. The limited-edition bobblehead features the 175-pound black bear who died of an overdose of cocaine after discovering a batch of the drug in the mountains of Fannin County, Georgia, just south of the Tennessee border nearly 40 years ago in 1985. The very same bear is said to be on display in Lexington, Kentucky, at the Kentucky for Kentucky Fun Mall and has garnered a significant following that culminated in the recently released movie Cocaine Bear.

Standing on the display mount, accessorized by a duffle bag of cocaine, the fun-loving Cocaine Bear bobblehead sports its chained plaque including its fateful description. The bobbleheads, which will be individually numbered, are only available through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store and the KY for KY Online Store. The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in July, are $30 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.

In December of 1985, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced that a 175-pound black bear had “died of an overdose of cocaine after discovering a batch of the drug,” according to a three-sentence item from United Press International that appeared in the New York Times. The cocaine was apparently dropped from a plane piloted by convicted drug smuggler Andrew Thornton because he was carrying too heavy a load while parachuting. The bear was found dead in the mountains of Fannin County, Georgia, just south of the Tennessee border, alongside 40 opened plastic containers of cocaine. Dr. Kenneth Alonso, the state’s chief medical examiner at the time, said after a December 1985 autopsy that the bear had absorbed three or four grams of cocaine into its blood stream, although it may have eaten more.

Nearly 40 years later, the story inspired a movie, loosely inspired by the events. “Cocaine Bear,” a comedy-horror film directed by Elizabeth Banks and written by Jimmy Warden, was released in the United States on February 24th, 2023, by Universal Pictures. The film, which marked the posthumous release for Ray Liotta who died May 26th, 2022, received generally positive reviews from critics and grossed $30 million worldwide in its debut weekend.

In 2015, Whit Hiler and Griffin VanMeter installed Cocaine Bear’s taxidermied body into their Kentucky for Kentucky Fun Mall in Lexington, Kentucky. The Kentucky gift shop sells various styles of Cocaine Bear t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and other memorabilia. “Visited (by) and bringing joy to thousands of people every month, Cocaine Bear is not just a roadside attraction — and soon-to-be biopic antihero — he’s also a city mascot, a heartwarming community builder, and a warning to all the dangers of drug abuse,” Kentucky for Kentucky wrote in a statement timed to the release of the movie. “We trademarked his name and likeness as part of our guardianship, popularizing him as a character. You can visit Cocaine Bear free of charge during opening hours. We hope that you do.”

As it turns out, VanMeter confirmed in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that Kentucky for Kentucky’s Cocaine Bear claim was fabricated. The taxidermy bear had previously resided in the basement of a friend’s parents. Thanks to some creative advertising and a fictional backstory on how they came to own the bear, the legend of Cocaine Bear took off.

“Nothing makes a bear’s head bobble more than a bunch of cocaine,” said Griffin VanMeter from Kentucky for Kentucky. “We’re honored that Cocaine Bear is making its bobblehead debut with the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum. They’ve been amazing partners to develop this Cocaine Bear keepsake with–the first of its kind!”

“We’re excited to be working with KY for KY to create the first bobblehead of Cocaine Bear whose wild story nearly 40 years ago has taken on a life of its own,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “Since the release of the movie of the same name, Cocaine Bear has found himself in the spotlight. This bobblehead is a must-have for fans of this party animal.”

Iowa’s Women’s Basketball Receives Historic Bobblehead

by | Apr 7, 2023 | Sniper Rants

This morning, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled an officially licensed, limited-edition bobblehead to commemorate the Iowa Hawkeyes Women’s Basketball Team’s historic 2022-23 season. The team’s record-breaking season included a program high 31 wins and the first appearance in the National Championship Game. The special edition bobblehead is being produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, an official producer of licensed University of Iowa Bobbleheads.

The bobblehead features Iowa’s mascot, Herky the Hawk, holding up a copy of the sports section of a newspaper titled “Iowa News”. The front page proclaims, “HAWKEYES MAKE IOWA PROUD!”. Herky is standing on a stack of newspapers with the headline “IOWA WOMEN’S HISTORIC 31-WIN 2022-23 SEASONIS ONE FOR THE AGES WITH FANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY CHEERING FOR THE HIGH-FLYING HAWKEYES!”

Each bobblehead is individually numbered to 2,023 and they are only available through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in July, are $40 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.

Under 23rd-year coach Lisa Bluder, Iowa finished as the runner-up in the Big Ten Conference with a 15-3 record sitting behind Indiana. Following the regular season, the Hawkeyes won the Big Ten Conference Tournament title for the second consecutive season. Iowa earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16 with victories over 15th-seeded Southeastern Louisiana, 95-43, and 10th-seeded Georgia, 74-66, in the first two rounds. They then beat sixth-seeded Colorado, 87-77, and fifth-seeded Louisville, 97-83, to advance to their first Final Four since 1993.

In the national semifinals, Iowa knocked off defending champion, previously undefeated and top-seeded South Carolina, 77-73, before a sellout crowd of 19,288 at American Airlines Center in Dallas in one of the most anticipated matchups in women’s Final Four history. Dazzling All-American junior point guard Caitlin Clark scored 41 points to set the record for the highest-scoring NCAA Tournament semifinal as the Hawkeyes snapped South Carolina’s 42-game winning streak and advanced to their first-ever national championship. Facing another SEC team in the final, Iowa’s magical run fell short in a 102-85 loss to third-seeded LSU to finish 31-7 overall. The 31 victories were the most in school history for the Hawkeyes and the National Championship game was the first for the women’s basketball program.

“The Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball team’s remarkable 2022-23 season is well-deserving of a bobblehead to commemorate all of the accomplishments,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “We think this bobblehead will be one that Hawkeyes alumni, students, faculty, staff, and fans will enjoy really enjoy.”