Remember Starting Lineup figures?

[ToyfareMark]

These things came around at around the same time the baseball card boom was at its peak in the late 80's. I was prime target age for these things at the time, and I ended up having a decent collection for awhile. They were pretty hard to collect as this was pre-internet, and Kenner shipped the figures mostly based around the markets of each players team. So growing up in southern Indiana, everyone wanted Don Mattingly, and because of how they were shipped he was very hard to find in my area.

Anyone else ever have any of these? I still have some that are unopened, but probably aren't worth very much.

[mizerable]

I had some, it was usually random guys for MLB since they seemed to make more guys there than anywhere else. I had a lot of NBA ones as well, pretty much every star from the 90's with the exception of Jordan.

A little story about one figure...when the MLB expanded the league and they created the Florida Marlins, I became a massive fan. I was "lucky" enough to find a Starting Lineup of Mr. Marlin himself, Jeff Conine. In the early 90's, he was probably their best player, but he became very average within a span of a couple years.

Anyways, when the Marlins made it to the World Series in 1997, I was very excited. It was an intense series, and at one point, Conine was walked in a game and for some unknown goddamn reason decided to try and steal second. Well, it didn't work and he was easily called out. He returns to the dugout and proceeded to scream the F word, granted I couldn't hear it, but it was clear that was what he said.

God, I was pissed. What a stupid mistake on his part, that could've coated them the series, then he respond the way he did. Anyways, I took my Starting Lineup figure and threw it against the wall. It didn't break. I threw it again. It didn't break. I threw it again. The head slightly bent creating an awkward swivel instead of a tight turn otherwise. Finally, I just took the figure and manually ripped it to pieces. The Marlins would go on to win the Series in 7 games.

After that year, I stopped being a Marlins fan. Not because of Jeff Conine, I've absolved him of his stupid sins and he should be thankful. I actually gave up on the Marlins when they decided to completely dissect the team in an even worse fashion than my action figure. Still can't believe they got rid of All, the guy who won the Series for them.

[Deleted]

Yeah, some of the ones I got were because they were so...random.

While I did have Andre Dawson (local) and a Tony Gwynn (big star), I also had a Mike Scott. But I made a stand for a couple that sat in my bedroom window for years.

After years of heat, poor Mike was all bent on his side, his ankle was like a second knee.

[Deleted]

I just posted a Babe Ruth/Lou Gehrig set yesterday.

Those things are weird as hell.

[Ishmeal Loves Kaseyhausen]

I had a few. The ones I remember are a Mattingly and a Wade Boggs Red Sox figure that I got right after he went to the Yankees. I may have had a Ricky Henderson too.

*EDIT* After checking, I found the website Starting Lineup Figures. I had an '88 Henderson and Mattingly, and from what I can tell, either an '88 or '89 Boggs. I may have had more but can't remember.

[Can you afford to pay me, Gah]

I remember them and how hard it was to find any of the local players in store. Anytime a Cardinal or a Blue was in a line. You can find everyone but them unless you went to a sports collectible shop and they charge double the price. I think some where I still have a Ken Griffey Jr. From the settle days.

[Deleted]

Yes! Oh man...major nostalgia trip right now.

I had A LOT of NBA ones. My dad made me a wooden basketball court and I would have the players have games and dunk contests. Of course, this was in between my booking epic wrestling matches with my wrestling figures.

I had some NFL and MLB ones, as well. My dad also made me a wooden football field for the NFL guys. That was pretty fun. It wasn't as epic as my NBA games, though.

I still have all these figures in a box at my parents' house. I should go play with them!

[Urethra Franklin]

I had tons.

I had a Willie Mays/Willie McCovey set. I had a George Bell, Tim Raines, Dave Winfield, Rickey Henderson.

I even had a Thomas Häßler soccer figure from back when he played for Koln.

[Cyno]

I still have my Don Mattingly Startling Lineup figure.

[minorleagueguy]

....years ago,the wife and I did sports card shows in the Buffalo NY area..we had an account with Kenner toys..it was fun, but just broke even over 9 years..

[nm]

i had about 100 of them pinned up on my wall as a child. theyre in boxes in the basement now

[DASH 243✅]

I still have a Steve yzerman one

[tigermaskxxxvii]

I had a VHS tape that had episodes of the Bionic Six taped off of television which included the commercials. Which included a commercial for Starting Lineup Figures. Whoever did this outdid themselves because by the time the commercial is over I'm feeling a sense of ennui and thinking about my own mortality.

[Kevin Hamilton]

I could never get into em cuz you couldn't actually play with em. Kid me was like: "So they just stand there? Nope."

[Limity (BLM)]

Sept 21, 2016 20:14:53 GMT -5 tigermaskxxxvii said:

I had a VHS tape that had episodes of the Bionic Six taped off of television which included the commercials. Which included a commercial for Starting Lineup Figures. Whoever did this outdid themselves because by the time the commercial is over I'm feeling a sense of ennui and thinking about my own mortality.

Wow, I like that a lot. I've already watched it a few times.

[Douglas]

I still have a MOC Ricky Henderson Yankees one.