The starting lineup numbers were the pride of Cincinnati. Conceived by former flare kicker Pat McInally (700 punts for 29,307 yards) and produced by Kenner of the city, they were a sensation in the 1980s.
In 1988, Kenner released the initial lineup, a series of action figures depicting the top athletes of the day.
history of starting lineup figures
when he mcinally retired from football in 1985, he sold his cincinnati apartment to a kenner products executive. The two struck up a conversation that focused on the toy company’s famous Star Wars figures.
kenner was a major player in the toy industry. They are perhaps best known for their production of the Easy Cook Oven beginning in 1962. The company was purchased by General Mills, best known for its huge Industrial Foods division.
was the beginning of the great sports card boom, which would become the infamous “junk wax era”. meanwhile, it was also the peak of the action figure craze. so the marriage between the two was natural.
pat later recalled: “I was talking to him about my idea of working with children and writing books. he took me to a toy store and we picked up a g.i. Joseph. I thought, ‘why not a sports figure? everyone knows who walter payton, michael jordan and magic johnson are.”
Before they did Starting Lineup, Kenner made a very popular Star Wars series. Look for them on eBay.
the idea becomes reality
mcinally it didn’t take long to convince the local company to produce the figurines. luckily they didn’t buy into the idea (well, I apologize).
It took three years for the amazing sports figures to appear in the store. But that wasn’t because Kenner was unenthusiastic about the idea. One of the significant delays was related to the acquisition of Kenner from General Mills by the Tonka toy company. They reorganized Kenner as an independent division.
however, new kenner owners were enthusiastic about the idea of the initial lineup. In fact, the Cincinnati-based toy company released a massive line of jocks. the toys were a huge success and proved to be a worthy competitor to the leading action figures of the day.
ultimate guide to starting lineup face cards
One of the best things about the original releases of the starting lineup was the combined trading cards. the cards were exclusive to the release and came with the starting lineup logo. as a result, they can be worth quite a bit of money when rated.
Here’s a look at some of the prices they’ve fetched (current prices at time of publication):
however, these are the exceptions. most starting lineup cards are worth a few bucks.
The Kobe Bryant figure and card are the gems among the later releases. Look for them on eBay.
Why did the original figures in the starting lineup lose their popularity?
The popularity and wide reach of the original release were part of the problem. The class of 1988 included well over 300 figures (124 MLB players, 137 NFL players, and 85 NBA players total). so that everyone had their favorite athletes from the beginning. later releases were much more limited and generally included low-profile names.
even when new sports were included, things didn’t go very well. for example, in 1993, the first hockey set was released but it didn’t include the legendary wayne gretzky, who wanted more money. the figure of him finally arrived in 1997, but the release was past its sell-by date by then.
The kids who grew up in the starting lineup had grown up and gone to college. younger consumers were more enamored with video games. in fact, the golden age of action figures was long gone. sonic the hedgehog had replaced g.i joe.
and of course: a lot of money
But the real killer in the series was the sports license fees. Until the late 1990s, leagues charged (relatively) affordable fees. but costs began to rise as league owners encouraged monopolies. the same process eliminated the smaller card producers and left us with only the giant companies.
in 2000, the toy giant hasbro bought kenner and essentially dismantled the smaller company. In 2001, the initial lineup produced the last set of MLB figures and quietly left the scene. at least for a while.
initial lineup encrypts new releases
The new release is part of an emerging partnership between Hasbro and fans.
A press release from Hasbro celebrated the new initiative: “We are thrilled to bring back one of the most beloved sports collectible brands of all time, the initial lineup, and partner with fans for its long-awaited return this fall. ”, said eric nyman, president and chief operating officer of hasbro in a press release.
“The fast-growing category of sports collectibles presents great opportunities to connect with fans of all ages, and we have many exciting announcements from the brand in the coming months.”
Unfortunately, we don’t know which athletes will be included in the new release. however, fanatics already owns the baseball and several soccer licenses. In addition, it will soon have the NBA and NFL licenses. therefore the fans will have their choice of athletes.
initial lineup figure new release date
The new line made its long-awaited debut on September 22, 2022.
Update: The starting lineup numbers are back and they’re much better than you remember.
Hasbro and fans usher in the new era of the starting lineup with an all-NBA release. These new toys are instantly recognizable and you can snap them into different poses. Check out this article where we review the new release for more information on the 2022 starting lineup Series 1 release.
what did the original releases of the initial lineup include?
The original releases were great. however, they had their limitations. Due to the use of old school industrial molds, they only had ten poses for the different athletes. over time, more poses were introduced, but none were as imaginative.
Of course, each figure can stand independently (unless you break it). the base was made to resemble the field in that particular sport. hence baseball players on the turf, basketball on a court, and hockey players on the ice.
- a figurine
- at least one sticker
- some contained a mini-sign or small medallion
Starting lineup figure conventions
Product-focused conventions sprang up across the country in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They also garnered much attention at the national sports collectors’ conventions of the day.
To mark these conventions, Kenner released one-of-a-kind limited figurines beginning in the mid-1990s.
starting lineup convention figure checklist
- barry sanders – 1999
- brett favre – 1998
- cal ripken jr – 1996
- christian laettner – 1997
- dan marino – 1998
- derek jeter – 2000
- glen rice – 1997
- jason kidd – 1997
- jerry rice – 1998
- jerry stackhouse – 1997
- joe montana – 1995
- john elway – 1999
- johnny bench – 1997
- larry johnson – 1997
- mark mcgwire – 2000
- pat mcinally – 1997
- shaquille o’neal – 1997
- wayne gretzky – 1999
This Joe Montana was only available at conventions. Look for more convention figures on eBay.
what was the slucc?
the slucc was the collectors club of the initial formation. offered special offers to members, including figures not available to the general public. some of these were unorthodox releases with helmets instead of figures. many of them are extremely rare today.
slucc launch initial lineup checklist
- afc helmet collection
- brett & bobby hull classic double
- cade mcnown
- joe montana freeze frame
- joe namath
- john vanbiesbrouck
- junior seau dan marino one on one
- larry bird backboard king
- mario lemieux
- nba centers 3 pack: shaq wilt kareem
- nolan ryan freeze frame
- nolan ryan jacksonville suns
- reggie jackson stadium star
- shaquille o’neal slam dunk
- ted williams cooperstown collection
- usa basketball 3 pack usa: barkley payton richmond
- wayne gretzky freeze frame
- willie mays stadium star
initial alignment digits value
As with most figurines, the value is determined by the state of the box. a figure without a box is worth very little. so are figurines in badly damaged packages. so you’ll want to look at these charts the same way you look at cards when considering grading.
the value depends mainly on availability. Thus, the widely circulated Michael Jordan is worth far less than some of the lesser-known athletes who appear in the starting lineup.
The Ultimate Guide to the Starting Lineup Figure Rating Scale
if so, the box is the most critical part of the condition. although, of course, a broken figure in a pristine box (don’t ask me how that happens) wouldn’t be worth much either.
- mint – mint has no significant blemishes and would be suitable for sale as new.
- nm – almost mint has some scratches or frayed corners but box generally appears to have been maintained protected over the years.
- p. eg, a box in excellent condition has noticeable flaws or discoloration, which maintains its integrity.
- Poor/Worn: The package is in poor condition, including holes or punctures.
What price do the starting lineup figures sell for?
so what do these babies get on the open market? First, let’s take a look at some recent eBay sales.
These are some of the biggest recent acquisitions:
here are some more typical sales:
kenner made a ton of these michael jordans. however, they are still very popular. look for one on ebay.
ultimate guide to stocking starting lineup figures
These figures, especially early ones in boxes in good condition, can hold value. so you’ll want to keep them well protected.
- avoid weight – boxes are not very strong. do not place anything on top of them, or the condition of the box (and possibly the figure) will deteriorate.
- avoid heat or smoke as they may corrode the wrapper or figure.
- use a transparent display case; your best option to protect these figures is to place them in a clear display case.
result of the figures of the initial lineup
Figures from the initial lineup are making a comeback and the excitement among veteran collectors is palpable. these toys meant a lot to fans of a particular generation. and it’s easy to see why. These quirky yet awesome little figurines just scream 80’s culture. It’s like watching the Breakfast Club. Plus, Kenner made them with love and care. it shows in the details they included with each figure.
The return of the starting lineup will increase your visibility in the future. therefore, this may be an excellent time to get some early numbers. first though, make sure you get ones in good condition and, of course, in their original box.
Below, we’ve provided a full checklist of starting lineup figures we think are worth the investment. They include the first generation of releases and the Cooperstown series, a particular favorite.
Who was included in the original 1988 starting lineup release?
the 1988 release is the original and therefore generally the most valuable and well loved. here is a complete list of all the action figures included in that class.
1988 nfl player checklist
- al toon
- albert bentley
- alonzo highsmith
- andre tippett
- anthony carter
- anthony toney
- artistic monk
- aundray bruce
- bernie kosar
- bill brooks
- bob golic
- li>
- billy kenney
- billy ray smith
- bobby hebert
- boomer esiason
- brent fullwood
- brian bosworth
- brian brennan
- bruce smith
- carl ekern
- carlos carson
- charles white
- chip banks
- chris burkett
- christian okoye
- chuck long
- cornelius bennett
- cris collinsworth
- curt warner
- danmarine
- danny white
- darrell green
- darrin nelson</li
- dave krieg
- dave waymer
- deron cherry
- dexter manley
- doug cosbie
- doug williams
- drew hill
- duane bickett
- earnest jackson
- ed jones
- eddie brown
- ej junior
- eric dickerson
- eric martin
- freeman mcneil
- gary clark
- gerald carter
- gerald riggs
- harry carson
- henry ellard
- herschel walker
- howie long
- jack trudeau
- jacob green
- james brooks
- james jones
- jay schroeder
- james wilder
- jeff chadwick
- jeff davis
- jerry gray
- jim everett
- jerry rice
- jim kelly
- jim mcmahon
- joe montana
- joe morris
- joey browner
- john elway
- john offerdahl
- jt smith</li
- karl mecklenburg
- keith byars
- kellen winslow
- ken davis
- ken o’brien
- kevin mack
- lawrence taylor
- louis lipps
- marc wilson
- mark bavaro
- marcus allen
- mark clayton
- michael carter
- mark duper
- mark gastineau
- mickey shuler
- mark lee
- mark malone
- mike merriweath er
- mike quick
- neal and derson
- mike rozier
- mike singletary
- neil lomax
- ozzie newsome
- phil simms
- phillip epps
- randall cunningham
- randy white
- randy wright
- ray childress
- reggie rogers
- reggie white
- richard dent
- rickey jackson
- rod jones
- rod woodson
- ronnie harmon
- ronnie lipopet
- roger craig
- ronnie lott
- roy green
- rueben mayes
- rulon jones
- sammy winder
- scott campbell
- stanley morgan
- steve grogan
- steve jordan
- stump mitchell
- tim krumrie
- todd blackledge
- todd christensen
- tony casillas
- tony dorsett
- tommy kramer
- tony eason
- troy stradford
- vance johnson
- vinnie testaverde
- warren moon
- willie gault
floyd dixon
1988 mlb player checklist
- alan ashby
- alan trammell
- alvin davis
- andre dawson
- andy van slyke
- barry bonds
- benito santiago
- billy hatcher
- bj surhoff
- bobby bonilla
- bret saberhagen
- brian downing
- buddy bell
- cal ripken jr
- candy maldonado
- carlton fisk
- carney lansford
- charlie hough
- chris brown
- cory snyder
- dale murphy
- dan quisenberry
- danny tartabull
- strawberry darryl
- dave parker
- dave righetti
- devon white
- dave winfield
- don mattingly
- donnie moore
- dwight evans
- dwight gooden
- eddie murray
- ellis burks
- eric davis
- fernando valenzuela
- frank viola
- franklin stubbs
- fred lynn
- gary carter
- gary gaetti
- george bell
- gary redus
- george brett</li
- glenn davis
- greg walker
- harol d b. aines
- howard johnson
- jack clark
- jack morris
- jeff reardon
- jeffrey leonard
- jim presley
- jim paddy
- jody davis
- joe carter
- john franco
- john kruk
- jose canseco
- juan samuel
- julio franco
- kal daniels
- ken griffey sr
- ken oberkfell
- keith hernandez
- ken phelps
- kevin bass
- kevin mcreynolds
- kent hrbek
- kevin seitzer
- kirby puckett
- larry parish
- lenny dykstra
- leon durham
- lou whitaker
- langston brand
- mike boddicker
- mcgwire brand
- mike dunne
- mike marshall
- mel hall
- mike schmidt
- mike scott
- matt nokes
- mike witt
- ozzie guillen
- nolan ryan
- ozzie smith
- ozzie virgil
- pat tabler
- paul molitor
- li>
- peter warrior
- pete incaviglia
- pete o’brie n
- rick reusche
- pete rosel
- rick sutcliffe
- rickey henderson
- rob deer
- robin yount
- roger clemens
- ruben sierra
- ryne sandberg
- shane rawley
- shawon dunston
- sid bream</li
- steve bedrosian
- steve sax
- ted higuera
- terry kennedy
- tim raines
- todd worrell
- tom brunansky
- tom herr
- tony gwynn
- vince coleman
- von hayes
- wade boggs
- wally joyner
- willie hernandez
- will clark
- willie mcgee
- willie randolph
- zane smith
1988 nba player checklist
- adrian dantley
- alex english
- alvin robertson
- armon gilliam
- bernard king
- bill laimbeer
- brad daugherty
- buck williams
- michael cage
- charles barkley
- chris mullin
- li>
- chuck person
- cliff robinson
- clyde drexler
- dale ellis
- danny ainge
- danny manning
- david greenwood
- dennis hopson
- dennis johnson
- danny schayes
- derek harper</li
- derrick mckey
- doc rivers
- dominique wilkins
- eddie johnson
- eric sleepy floyd
- gerald wilkins
- hakeem olajuwon
- isiah thomas
- jack sikma
- james worthy
- jeff hornacek</li
- jeff malone
- john paxson
- john stockton
- joe barry carrol
- john williams
- johnny dawkins
- kareem abdul-jabbar
- karl malone
- kenny smith
- kevin mchale
- kevin willis
- kiki vand eweghe
- larry bird
- mark agguire
- lasalle thompson
- magic johnson
- mark eaton
- mark jackson
- michael adams
- brand price
- maurice cheeks
- michael cooper
- michael jordan
- mike gminski
- moses malone
- otis thorpe
- patrick ewing
- paul pressey
- ralph sampson
- reggie miller
- reggie williams
- robert parish
- rod higgins
- rodney mccray
- rolando blackman
- ron harper
- sam perkins
- scottie pippen
- sidney moncrief</li
- spud webb
- steve johnson
- steve stipanovich
- terry cummings
- terry porter
- thurl bailey
- tom chambers
- vinnie johnson
- walter berry
- wayman tisdale
- winston garland
- xavier mcdaniel
lafayette lever
baseball greats and cooperstown checklists
There’s always a market for collectibles from Hall of Fame greats. the initial lineup has launched some fantastic series of this type.
mlb baseball greats of 1989
- babe ruth & lou gehrig
- carl yastrzemski & hank aaron
- don drysdale & reggie jackson
- eddie mathews & hank aaron
- ernie banks & billy williams
- johnny bank & pete rose
- mickey & joe dimaggio
- stan musial & bob gibson
- willie mays & willie mccovey
- willie stargell & Roberto Clemente
cooperstown collections 1994
- babe ruth
- cy young
- honus wagner
- jackie robinson
- lou gehrig
- reggie jackson
- ty cobb
- willie mays
cooperstown collection 1995
- babe ruth
- bob feller
- bob gibson
- dizzy dean
- don drysdale
- eddie mathews
- harmon killebrew
- rod carew
- paige backpack
- white ford
cooperstown collection 1996
- babe ruth 12 inches
- cy young 12 inches
- grover cleveland alexander
- hank aaron
- hank greenberg
- harmon killebrew
- honus wagner 12 inches
- jackie robinson
- jimmy foxx
- joe morgan
- lou gehrig 12 inches
- mel ott
- richie ashburn
- roberto clemente
- robin roberts
- rod carew
- rogers hornsby
- steve carlton
- ty cobb 12 inches
cooperstown collection 1997
- brooks robinson
- carl yastrzemski
- dottie kamenshek
- duke snider
- hoyt wilhelm
- jackie robinson
- jackie robinson 12 inches
- johnny bench
- josh gibson
- mickey cloak
- cloak mickey’s 12 inches
- rollie’s fingers
- walter johnson
cooperstown collection 1998
- buck leonard
- frank robinson
- jim palmer
- lou brock
- phil niekro
- roberto clemente
- roy campanella
- tom seaver
- tris speaker
- warren spahn
- yogi berra
- li>
cooperstown collection 1999
- bob gibson
- earl weaver
- george brett
- juan marichal
- nolan ryan
- pepper davis
- ted williams
cooperstown collection 2001
- brooks robinson
- nolan ryan
- reggie jackson
- robin yount
- tom seaver
- willie mccovey
- willie stargell