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HELPING YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR FIGURE(S)!
 Meet Four New Cooperstown Members
McFarlanes return to the home of baseball with this, their fifth series, of Cooperstown action figures. This season sees the return of the Cooperstown Series of MLB action figures. The Copoperstown line of action figures has proved to be popular with both fans and collectors with its focus on past heroes of the diamond field. Cooperstown Series 5 introduces four of baseballs greatest players for the first time and also includes two fan favorites in all new sculpts and a repaint, i.e. a Mickey Mantle batting right handed and a Mike Schmidt in the Phillies pinstripes.
"I looked for the same pitch my whole career, a breaking ball. All of the time. I never worried about the fastball. They couldn't throw it past me, none of them."
Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron was born in Mobile Alabama and was nicknamed "Hammer", "Hammerin Hank", or "Bad Henry". Aaron had seven brothers and sisters but only one of them played in the Major Leagues with him. Coming from a poor family unable to buy any baseball equipment he had to make do with hitting bottle tops with a flat stick. In high school he played out field and third base helped his team to the Negro High School Championships for two years on the run. As well as his success in baseball he was also a good footballer and he was offered several football scholarships. However Hank preferred to play baseball and was keen to play in the major leagues. In 1949, at the age of only 15, Aaron had his first try out for a major league franchise but it didn't go well and he didn't make the team and so he returned to school spending his last two years at the Josephine Allen Institute. He also joined the Mobile Black Bears an independent Negro league team until he was head-hunted by a scout for the Idianapolis Clowns in 1951. In 1952 he was instrumental in helping the Clowns win the 1952 Negro League World Series and as a result of his outstanding performance he received offers from two major league clubs, the New York Giants and the Boston Braves. He decided to sign for the Braves who paid the Clowns $10,000 for him. Initially he was assigned to one of their Northern League class C clubs which proved beneficial for Aaron as it helped him develop as a baseball player as well as helping him break his habit of hitting cross-handed. In 1953 he was moved up to the Jacksonville Tars, their Class A affiliate club who went on to win that seasons championships, mainly due to Aaron's outstanding performance. Hank led the league in runs, hits, doubles, total bases, RBI, and batting average that season and one sportswriter commented "Henry Aaron led the league in everything except hotel accommodations". Before his promotion to the major leagues he spent a year in Puerto Rico where Mickey Owen helped Aaron improve his batting stance enabling him to hit the ball anywhere in the field more effectively. It was at this time that the Braves also requested that he start playing outfield. His big break in the Major Leagues came in 1954 after fielder Bobby Thomson broke his ankle sliding for second base. Aaron made his major league debut on April 13, 1954 and hit his first home run on April 23. The next seven seasons were to be Aaron's prime seasons although he only won one MVP during this time. However in 1955 he made his first All-Star team, the first in a record run of 24 All-Star ganmes. In 1957, in a game against the Cardinals, Aaron hit two home runs clinching the Brave's first pennant in Milwaukee and Aaron's team-mates carried him off the field. Milwaukee went on to win the World Series against the Yankees in which Aaron hit three home runs, seven RBI and hit a .393. He followed up by leading the Braves to another pennant in 1958, but this time they lost the seven game series to the Yankees. In 1965 the Braves moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta, Georgia. The following years saw him achieve several career milestones including his 537th home run in 1969 and his 3,000 hit in 1970 making him the first player to achieve both. The following season he became only the third to player ever hit 600 home runs. He also hit more than 40 home runs in the season, setting a new league record of seven seasons with 40 or more home runs. The 1973 season saw Hank Aaron chase Babe Ruth's home run record and as the media hyped the chase the Braves had to hire a secretary to help sort his mail. By the end of the season he was one short of Babe Ruth's record of 714 home runs. Over the winter months, before the start of the 1974 season, Aaron received many death threats from fans who didn't want to see a black man beat Babe Ruth's record. At the start of the season the Braves were going to sit Aaron out of the first few games on order to allow him to beat the record in Atlanta but the Baseball Commisioner ruled that he had to play in at least two of the first three games. As a result he equlled Ruth's record in his first at-bat but he didn't hit another home run in the series. After the teams return home, and in front of a record attendance of 53,775 fans on April 8, Hank Aaron hit the ball outfield into the Braves bullpen for his 715 home run to surpass Babe Ruth's record. As cannons fired around the stadium and the crowd erupted two college students ran onto the field alongside Aaron as he cirled the base paths. By the end of the season he had hit his 733rd homer, a record which stood until Barry Bonds beat it in 2006 although Bonds record has been marred by the contraversy over whether he took performance enhancing drugs to achieve it. A few days later the Braves traded Aaron to the Malwaukee Brewers, enabling him to take advantage of the Designated Hitters rule and extend his career, as a result he went on to break Babe Ruth's all time RBI record by achieving an RBI of 2,217. Hank Aaron hit his last home run on July 20, 1976 at Milwaukee County Stadium giving him a career total of 755. On February 5, 1999 on his 65 birthday the MLB announced it was introducing the Hank Aaron Award to honor the best offensive player of the American and National leagues each season and it was not only the first major award to be introduced in 30 years but the first to be named after a player still living. The Sporting News also named him as the fifth greatest player of all time in its 100 Greatest Baseball Players list and he was elected to the MLB All-Century Team. He has also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002 which is the highest award that a civilian can receive. There are also statues of him outside the front entrance of both Turner Field and Miller Park. Career Highlights
Cooperstown 5 Figure Specs Measures 5 3/4 inches to top of helmet. Articulated at neck and biceps. Custom home-plate base measures5 3/8 inches wide by 5 inches.
"My dad taught me to switch hit. He and my grandfather, who was left handed, pitched to me everyday after school in the back yard. Ibatted lefty against my dad and right against my grandad"
Born Mickey Charles Mantle in Spavinaw, Oklahoma on October 20, 1931 he played out his 18 year major league career with the New York Yankees. His parents named him in honour of Philadelphia Athletics Hall of Fame catcher Mickey Cochrane.His father, who Mickey always spoke about warmly, died of cancer at the age of 39 just as Mickey's career was beginning. Whilst at high school Mickey Mantle was a talented all round athlete and played basketball and football as well as baseball and was offered a football scholarship by the University of Oklahoma. It was while playing football that an injury to his shin caused him to protract osteomyelitis, which a few years previously was incurable, and almost cost him his life and athletics career but luckily a newly available penicillin saved his leg from amputation. However he continued to suffer from the effects of the disease throughout his career. After being talented spotted by a Yankees scout at a Baxter Springs game in 1948 Mickey Mantle was promised that he would be signed the following year on his graduation day. True to his word Tom Greenwade came back and signed him on his graduation day the following year for $400 to play the rest of the season and a $1,100 signing bonus. Tom Greenwade was later quoted as saying Mickey was the best prospect he had ever seen. Mickey's career was plagued by injuries many of which stemmed from his childhood injury when playing football. As a result he ritually applied thick wraps to both his knees before a game and by the end of his career even the simple act of swinging the bat would cause him to fall to one knee in pain. It has often been wondered by baseball scholars "what if..." Mickey Mantle played his last game on September 28, 1968 and his number 7 jersey was retired by the Yankees in 1969. At the time of his retirement Mickey was third on the all-time home run list with 536. On Mickey Mantle Day June 8, 1969 as well as his number 7 uniform being retired he was given a plague that would hang on the center field wall at Yankee Stadium near the monuments to Babe Ruth, Miller Huggins and Joe DeMaggio. Mickey later gave DeMaggio a similar plague stating to the crowd that "his should be a little higher than mine".These plaques and monuments were later moved to monument park when the stadium was renovated. He was voted 17th on a list of "The 100 Greatest Baseball Players" by "The Sporting News" in 1999 and he was one of the nominees for the Major Leagues All Star Century Team and in 2006 he was featured on a US postage stamp. Even after his death Mickey Mantle related memorabilia far outsells those other any other baseball player with perhaps the exception of Babe Ruth. Career Highlights
Cooperstown 5 Figure Specs Figure measures 5 3/4 inches to top of helmet, 7 inches to top of raised bat. Articulated at neck and biceps. Custom home-plate base measures 5 3/8 inches wide by 5 inches deep.
"Baseball is a red blooded sport for red blooded men. It's no pink tea, and mollycoddles had better stay out. It's a struggle for supremacy, a survival of the fittest"
Born on December 18, 1886 Iin Narrows, Georgia. He was the eldest of three children. Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb, also nicknamed "The Georgia Peach" is considered to be one of the greatest players of all time. Cobb is credited with setting 90 baseball records during his career and as of this year, 2007, he still holds several of them including the highest MLB batting average of .366. Many of his other records remained his for 50 years or more proving his extraordinary talent as a sportsman and athelete although this was often overshadow by his bad temperament, alleged racism and violent reputation. During his early days Ty Cobb played for the semi professional Royston Reds and the Augusta Tourists who cut Cobb two days into the season. In August 1905 Ty Cobb was sold to the Detroit Tigers for a total of $1250. Later in the same month his father was accidentally shot to death by Cob's mother who thought his father was an intruder. She was tried and found guilty of murder but was later aquitted in 1906. On August 30, 1905 he made his Major League debut with the Detroit Tigers. Despite an unspectacular season he showed enough promise for the Detroit Tigers to give him an attractive contract with a $1200 salary. In 1921 Tigers owner, Frank Navin, signed Cobb as their new manager and he stayed with the Tigers until 1926 when he announced his retirement after 22 years with the club. It was later revealed that both his and Tris Speaker's retirement were coerced in order to prevent a match fixing contraversy. After the allegations were made public Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis had to hold a hearing but due to Dutch Leonard's refusal to appear they were cleared of any wrong doingf and allowed to return to the previous clubs. Cobb then became a free agent and signed with the Philadelphia Athletes. He played regularly for the A's in the 1927 season but due to his age and the abilities of their younger stars he played less frequently in his final season and he played his last game on September 11, 1928 after 23 consecutive seasons of hitting a .300 or better average. Career Highlights
Cooperstown 5 Figure Specs Measures 6 inches to top of cap. Articulated at neck and elbows. Custom home-plate base measures 5 ½ inches wide by 5 1/8 inches deep.
"He brings such formidable attention and intelligence to bear on the enemy pitcher that one senses that the odds have almost been reversed. It is the man on the mound, not the one on the plate, who is in worse trouble from the start" - author Roger Angell on Mike Scmidt.
Michael Jack Schmidt was born in Dayton, Ohio on September 27, 1949 and is considered to be the greatest third baseman of all time. He played with the Philadelphia Phillies throughout his 16 year Major League career. He attended Fairview High School in Dayton and after he graduated in 1967 he enrolled at Ohio University where he quickly established himself as one of the Bobcat's best players. Mike's career blossomed during the 70's as he proved his prowess both at bat and on the field winning many awards and helping the Phillies to three consecutive division titles from 1976-78. His success continued into the 80's when the Phillies reached the World Series and for the first and only tim in their history won it. Having hit two home runs and driving in seven runs he was voted World Series MVP. 1981 was the clubs centenary year and in a poll fans voted Schmidt as the greatest player in their history. The Phillies again advanced to the World Series but failed to retain the title. In 1989 after missing much of the 1988 season due to injuries and a slow start to the '89 season he suddenly announced his retirement to stunned and surprised fans in an emotional and at times tearful speech. Despite this fans again voted him to the NL All-Star Team. Career Highlights
Cooperstown 5 Figure Specs Measures 6 1/4 inches to top of helmet. Articulated at neck and biceps. Custom home-plate base measures 5 3/4 inches wide by 4 7/8 inches deep.
Dennis Eckersley Cooperstown 5 "When I started finishing games and coming off the field shaking hands, it was a beautiful thing. I mean, you start seeing that you're an important part of the team."
"Eck", aka Dennis Lee Eckersley was born in Oakland, California on October 3, 1954 debuted in the Major Leagues on April 12, 1975 with the Cleveland Indians. Although he started his career as a starter he gained most of his fame and noteriety through his years as a closer. The Cleveland Indians drafted him right out of the Washington High School of Fermont, California in the third round of the '72 amateur draft and was the American League Pitcher of the Year in 1975. He was later traded to the Boston Red Sox's in 1978 after an awkward situation developed involving his wife and fellow Indian player, and best friend, Rick Manning, whom later became married. His early seasons with the Red Sox saw him achieve new career highs and his stats improved but from 1980 his pitching deteriorated and his once intimidating fastball was no longer what it once was, he later developed a great curve ball to compensate for this. In 1984 he was again traded, this time to the Chicago Cubs. His tenure with the Cubs was both short and unproductive mainly due to a bout of alcoholism which he received treatment for after watching a video of himself drunk that his family showed him. As a result Eckersley was traded to the Oakland Athletics on April 3, 1987. It was with the Oakland Athletics that due to an injury he moved into the closers role, a position he kept throughout his career with them. As a closer him and LaRussa revolutionized the strategy of relief pitching. He became one of the most dominant closers in the game between 1987-92. In 1995 LaRussa left the Oakland A's to manage the St Louis Cardinals and took Eckersley with him but he was past his prime and only stayed for two seasons before moving back to the Red Sox for a final season in 1998 and played his last game on September 26, 1998. Career Highlights
Cooperstown 5 Figure Specs Measures 6 3/8 inches to top of cap. Articulated at neck and biceps. Custom pitcher’s mound base measures 4 1/4 inches wide by 2 5/8 inches deep and includes Oakland A’s insignia.
"I was taught you never, ever disrespect your opponent or your teamates or your organization or your manager and never, ever your uniform."
Ryne Dee Sandberg was born on September 18 1959 in Spokane , Washington and was nicknamed "Ryno" and was named after famous relief pitcher Ryne Duren. He is universally recognized as being one of the best second basemen of all time. Sandberg made his major league debut as a short stop for the Philadelphia Phillies on September 2, 1981. However the Phillies had little space on the team for him and as he didn't prove to be good at short stop and with second and third bases already covered he was traded to the Chicago Cubs, along with Larry Bowa, for shortstop Ivan DeJesus before the start of the 1982 season. The deal is now considered to have been one of the most one-sided deals in baseball history but at the time the Cubs were after another another prospect to trade along with Bowa and Sanderg was the only player they were interested in. The Phillies manager has since revealed that his scouts told him that Sandberg would never amount to more than a utility infielder. Sandberg remained with the Cubs for the remainder of his career in the Majors until he played his last game on September 28, 1997. His overall carrer AVG was .285 with 282 Home Runs and 2386 Hits. Since retiring Sandberg has kept a low profile accepting his first marketing deal in 2003 as a spokesman for a Chicago bank and currently is the manager of the Peora Chiefs where he still wears his legendary number 23 jersey. Career Highlights
Cooperstown 5 Figure Specs Measures 6 1/4 inches to top of helmet. Articulated at neck and biceps. Custom home-plate base measures 5 3/4 inches wide by 4 7/8 inches deep. Cooperstown 5 Due Feb, 2008
McFarlanes Baseball Figures Release Dates
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What Is The Cooperstown Collection?
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2010 MLB Sports Picks Releases
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2010
IN STORES MARCH 2010
IN STORES MAY 2010
Release Date
June 2009
Release Date
May 2009
MLB 2009 TRU EXCLUSIVE ASSORTMENT (SERIES 23)
Release Date
April 2009
DAVID ORTIZ
ALBERT PUJOLS
RYAN HOWARD
MANNY RAMIREZ
DERREK LEE
DEREK JETER
Release Date
March 2009
MLB COOPERSTOWN 2009 (SERIES 6)
Release Date
March 2010
KEN GRIFFEY JR.
DEREK JETER COLLECTOR'S EDITION
NEW YORK YANKEES 2-PACK: DEREK JETER & ALEX RODRIGUEZ
Release Date
June 2008
Release Date
April 2008
Release Date
February 2008
Release Date
February 2008
Release Date
February 2008
BC SPORTS MLB EXCLUSIVE: RYAN HOWARD
BC SPORTS MLB EXCLUSIVE: CHASE UTLEY
BC SPORTS MLB EXCLUSIVE: COLE HAMELS
MARIANO RIVERA COLLECTOR'S EDITION
MLB 2-PACK: MICKEY MANTLE & ROGER MARIS
Release Date
July 2007
Release Date
June 2007
MLB BASEBALL SERIES 17
Release Date
February 2007
COOPERSTOWN SERIES 4
Release Date
February 2007
3-INCH MLB BASEBALL SERIES 5
Release Date
February 2007
DAVID ORTIZ COLLECTOR'S EDITION
BARRY BONDS (756TH HOME RUN COMMEMORATIVE FIGURE)
CHICAGO CUBS 3-PACK
NEW YORK YANKEES 3-PACK 2
MLB BASEBALL SERIES 16
Release Date
July 2006
MLB BASEBALL SERIES 15
Release Date
May 2006
3-INCH MLB BASEBALL SERIES 4
Release Date
February 2006
COOPERSTOWN SERIES 3
Figures
Release Date
February 2006
MLB BASEBALL SERIES 14
Release Date
February 2006
COLLECTOR'S EDITION ROGER CLEMENS (ASTROS)
COLLECTOR'S EDITION ROGER CLEMENS (YANKEES)
MLB COMMEMORATIVE 2-PACK: BARRY BONDS & BABE RUTH
FANFEST 2006: ROBERTO CLEMENTE
FANFEST 2006: WILLIE STARGELL
3-INCH DAVID WRIGHT
COOPERSTOWN COLLECTOR'S EDITION MICKEY MANTLE
COOPERSTOWN COLLECTOR'S EDITION BABE RUTH
NEW YORK YANKEES 3-PACK
BOSTON RED SOX 3-PACK
MLB BASEBALL SERIES 13: EXTENDED EDITION
Release Date
August 2005
3-INCH MLB BASEBALL SERIES 3
Release Date
July 2005
MLB BASEBALL SERIES 12
Release Date
June 2005
COOPERSTOWN 12-INCH
Release Date
May 2005
MLB BASEBALL SERIES 11
Release Date
April 2005
COOPERSTOWN SERIES 2
Release Date
February 2005
MLB HOMEPLATE DIORAMA: JASON VARITEK AND UMPIRE
3-INCH JOSH BECKETT & MIGUEL CABRERA
3-INCH YOGI BERRA & JORGE POSADA
3-INCH FRANK CATALANOTTO & ORLANDO HUDSON
NATIONAL 2005: NOMAR GARCIAPARRA
3-INCH BILLY WAGNER & PAT BURRELL
FANFEST 2005: IVAN RODRIGUEZ
FANFEST 2005: TROY PERCIVAL
12-INCH DEREK JETER 2
3-INCH DONTRELLE WILLIS & PAUL LO DUCA
MLB 2-PACK: CURT SCHILLING & ALBERT PUJOLS
3-INCH DON MATTINGLY
12-INCH BARRY BONDS 2 (WHITE UNIFORM)
12-INCH BARRY BONDS 2 (GRAY UNIFORM)
BARRY BONDS (700TH HOME RUN COMMEMORATIVE FIGURE)
MLB 2-PACK: BARRY BONDS & WILLIE MAYS
12-INCH NOLAN RYAN (ASTROS)
MLB 12-INCH BASEBALL SERIES 1
Release Date
November 2004
COOPERSTOWN COLLECTION
Release Date
July 2004
MLB BASEBALL SERIES 10
Release Date
June 2004
3-INCH MLB BASEBALL SERIES 2
Release Date
May 2004
MLB BASEBALL SERIES 9
Release Date
April 2004
3-INCH MLB BASEBALL
Release Date
March 2004
MLB BASEBALL SERIES 8
Release Date
February 2004
FANFEST 2004: JEFF BAGWELL
FANFEST 2004: ROGER CLEMENS
MLB 2-PACK: TODD HELTON & SAMMY SOSA
MLB 2-PACK: DEREK JETER & NOMAR GARCIAPARRA
MLB BASEBALL SERIES 7
Release Date
September 2003
MLB BASEBALL SERIES 6
Release Date
July 2003
MLB BASEBALL SERIES 5
Release Date
June 2003
MLB BASEBALL SERIES 4
Release Date
March 2003
WORLD SERIES 2002: BARRY BONDS
FANFEST 2003: FRANK THOMAS
FANFEST 2003: SAMMY SOSA
MLB BASEBALL SERIES 3
Release Date
August 2002
MLB BASEBALL SERIES 2
Release Date
June 2002
MLB BASEBALL SERIES 1
Release Date
March 2002
BIG LEAGUE CHALLENGE: JASON GIAMBI
BIG LEAGUE CHALLENGE: NOMAR GARCIAPARRA
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